Robotic laundry sorting devices, systems, and methods of use

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously sorting dirty laundry articles into batched loads for washing are described. For example, an autonomous sorting device includes an enclosed channel including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the channel, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the enclosed channel for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of deformable dirty laundry articles and passing the at least one deformable laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes an inlet orifice for receiving the dirty laundry articles into the enclosed channel and an outlet orifice adjacent the outlet end through which each separated deformable article exits the enclosed channel into sorting bins.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/093,236 filed Oct. 18, 2020,titled “Robotic Laundry Sorting Devices, Systems, And Methods of Use,”the entirety of which application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is directed to robotic laundry devices, systems,and methods.

Automating and outsourcing mundane, time-consuming household chores torobotic devices is increasingly common. Time saving home robots include,for example, floor vacuuming and floor washing robots. Outsourcingresponsibilities include, for example, engaging grocery shopping anddelivery services, and manually operated and human-operator dependentlaundry washing and dry-cleaning pick up and return services.

Many homes are appointed with a dedicated washer and dryer for familyuse. Domestic washers and dryers are increasingly sophisticated andinclude IoT connectivity features and push notifications for alertingusers about cycle progress and energy and resource usage. Thesetechnologically advanced machines, however, require human interactionand cannot eliminate the time required for processing loads of laundryin the home. Although more modern, “high efficiency” machines areequipped with sensors for metering water usage and dryer temperatures,the efficiency gains are capped by the constraints of sequentiallyprocessing single loads of laundry. Grey water is output to the citywater and sewer system for mitigation with each load of laundryprocessed. Energy is consumed with each load of laundry washed anddried.

Households can outsource laundry chores to gig worker services and/orlaundromat facilities for a fee in exchange for time. Laundromats andgig services offering residential mixed load laundering services,however, require human interaction for intake and sorting of dirtylaundry, transferring loads from washer to dryer, and then manuallyfolding clean laundry. These are costly processes as measured in time,energy consumption, water consumption, and wastewater output, and theyrely on human intervention to keep the process running at everytransition and throughout several process steps. This invites delays atevery stage. Because these processes are human-dependent andinefficient, the costs are passed along to customers outsourcing theirlaundry for cleaning. Human-reliant laundering services also requirethat employees touch the belongings of the customer, potentiallyexposing the employee to contaminants in the dirty laundry andpotentially exposing the clean laundry to transferable pathogens, dust,hair, and other debris emanating from a laundromat employee. In additionto potentially introducing undesirable contact contamination from theemployees processing the loads of laundry, a privacy barrier isbreached. Outsourcing household laundry to a laundromat or gig economyworker involves employees interacting with customers' personalbelongings including bodily worn garments.

Industrial laundry services exist for handling uniform, batchedbusiness-related items, such as batches of hospital or hotel bed sheets,batches of medical scrubs, and batches of hotel towels, each batchhaving consistent characteristics between and within loads fordetermining expectedly consistent washing and drying processes. Suchindustrial machines are tailor-made to accept one type of laundry itemof one size or style. For example, unique folding machines exist toaccept a dedicated one of washed flat sheets, fitted sheets, hoteltowels, and hotel bathrobes. These machines require human operators toload the washed article into its dedicated machine, which is sized anddesigned to fold that one type and size of article. This type of processline relies on a human operator for properly aligning and loading theclean article into the machine, which could introduce bodilycontaminants, bacteria, and viral matter into the clean articles. Likelaundromat services and gig workers washing in their home appliances,these industrial services rely on human intervention and potentiallyintroduce bio-contaminants into clean loads of laundry. Because theseservices are only profitable by processing large volumes of like items,these industrial processors are generally subscription-based servicesfor large clients like hotels and hospitals producing standard-size,repeat laundry articles and are not available to consumers at anindividual household level. Additionally, these services are configuredto combine laundry from more than one source and are not configured toisolate and process separate loads for individual households.

Autonomous robotic devices are provided to process loads of householdlaundry. Such devices eliminate human contact with deformable laundryarticles. As such, the devices need to be designed to be efficient andreliable for replacing the common, human-dependent chore of laundry.

SUMMARY

In one example, an autonomous sorting device for separating and sortinga plurality of amassed deformable articles includes an enclosed channel,a plurality of arms, an inlet orifice, an outlet orifice, at least onesensor, and a controller. The enclosed channel includes a plurality ofsequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between aninlet end and an outlet end of the channel. A portion of the stationaryfloor is within a first work volume of the plurality of sequential workvolumes being configured to receive thereon the plurality of deformablearticles adjacent the inlet end. The plurality of arms are disposed inseries along the enclosed channel. Each one of the plurality of armsincludes an actuatable terminal gripper configured to selectively graspat least one of the plurality of deformable articles and at least onedrive configured to at least one of rotate, tilt, extend, and retractthe terminal gripper, each of the plurality of arms being associatedwith one of the plurality of sequential work volumes. The inlet orificeis disposed in at least one of a ceiling and a wall of the enclosedchannel, and the plurality of deformable articles are received into theenclosed channel through the inlet orifice. The outlet orifice isdisposed adjacent the outlet end in at least one of a wall of theenclosed channel and the stationary floor, each one of the plurality ofdeformable articles exiting the enclosed channel through the outletorifice. The at least one sensor is disposed at least one of on,adjacent to, and within one or more of the plurality of sequential workvolumes. The at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles disposed within at least one of theplurality of sequential work volumes, and output a signal indicative ofat least one of the presence and location of the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles relative to the terminal gripper of oneof the plurality of arms associated with the at least one of theplurality of sequential work volumes within which that at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles is detected. The controller is inoperable communication with the at least one drive and the at least onesensor. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the atleast one sensor indicative of detecting at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles being disposed within at least one of theplurality of sequential work volumes. The controller is configured todetermine a location of the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles on the stationary floor relative to an arm associated with oneof the plurality of sequential work volumes within which the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles is detected. The controlleris configured to instruct the at least one drive to position a terminalgripper to grasp the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles, the terminal gripper being disposed on the arm associated withthe at least one of the plurality of sequential work volumes withinwhich the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles isdetected. The controller is configured to instruct an actuator of theterminal gripper to close on the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, instruct the at least one drive to raise the closedterminal gripper of the associated arm and the grasped at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles to a hoist height above thestationary floor and rotate toward the outlet end into an adjacent workvolume, instruct the actuator of the terminal gripper to open thegripper to release the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles in the adjacent work volume, receive a signal from the at leastone sensor configured to detect the released at least one of theplurality of deformable articles within the adjacent work volumes, anddetermine, based on the received signal, a state including at least oneof: one or more of the plurality of deformable articles are present onthe stationary floor, none of the plurality of deformable articles arepresent on the stationary floor, and one of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles exited the enclosed channel through the outlet orifice.

Implementations of the device may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

In examples, the plurality of deformable articles are non-uniform.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes.

In examples, the outlet orifice is disposed in a last work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes, the last work volume beingadjacent the outlet end.

In examples, the outlet orifice is disposed in the stationary floor of alast of the plurality of sequential work volumes.

In examples, a number of work volumes including the plurality ofsequential work volumes is one greater than the number of the pluralityof arms and each of the plurality of arms is associated with a workvolume directly adjacent at least one other work volume associated withone of the plurality of arms.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes and the plurality of arms includes three or more arms,each of the three or more arms being associated with one of the three ormore work volumes.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes and an outlet-facing end of each of the three or morework volumes overlaps with an inlet-facing end of an adjacent sequentialone of the three or more work volumes such that each arm of theplurality of arms is configured to extend into one or more adjacent workvolumes of the plurality of sequential work volumes.

In examples, the controller is further configured to, based ondetermining one or more deformable articles are present on thestationary floor in the adjacent work volume, iteratively determine alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles onthe stationary floor relative to an arm associated with the adjacentwork volume, instruct the at least one drive of the arm associated withthe adjacent work volume to position the terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume at the determined location tograsp the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles, instructan actuator of the terminal gripper of the arm associated with theadjacent work volume to close on the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, instruct the at least one drive to raise the closedterminal gripper of the arm associated with the adjacent work volume andthe grasped at least one of the plurality of deformable articles to ahoist height above the stationary floor and rotate toward the outlet endinto a next sequential adjacent work volume of the three or more workvolumes, instruct the actuator of the terminal gripper to open thegripper to release the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles in the next sequential adjacent work volume, receive a signalfrom the at least one sensor configured to detect the at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles, and determine, based on thereceived signal, a state including at least one of the followingconditions: one or more of the plurality of deformable articles arepresent on the stationary floor, none of the plurality of deformablearticles are present on the stationary floor, and one of the pluralityof deformable articles exited the enclosed channel through the outletorifice. In examples, the controller is configured to stop iteratingwhen the plurality of deformable articles exits the enclosed channelthrough the outlet orifice as solitary deformable articles.

In examples, the controller is further configured to instruct two ormore of the plurality of arms to operate simultaneously within eachassociated one of the plurality of sequential work volumes. The terminalgrippers of the two or more of the plurality of arms operatingsimultaneously can simultaneously grasp at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles.

In examples, the controller is further configured to, based ondetermining none of the plurality of deformable articles are present onthe stationary floor in the adjacent work volume, receive a signal fromthe at least one sensor indicative of at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles remaining disposed within the one of the pluralityof sequential work volumes preceding the adjacent work volume, determinea location of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articleson the stationary floor relative to the associated arm, instruct the atleast one drive to position the terminal gripper of the associated armat the determined location to grasp the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, instruct an actuator of the terminal gripper of theassociated arm to close on the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, instruct the at least one drive to raise the closedterminal gripper of the associated arm and the grasped at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles to a hoist height above thestationary floor and rotate toward the outlet end into the adjacent workvolume, instruct the actuator of the terminal gripper to open thegripper to release the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles in the adjacent work volume, and determine, based on thereceived signal, a state including at least one of the followingconditions: one or more of the plurality of deformable articles arepresent on the stationary floor, none of the plurality of deformablearticles are present on the stationary floor, and one of the pluralityof deformable articles exited the enclosed channel through the outletorifice.

In examples, the enclosed channel is fully enclosed on all sides and atthe inlet and outlet ends. The inlet orifice and outlet orifice can eachfurther include an actuated covering for selectively exposing andsealing each of the orifices, the controller being in operativecommunication with the actuation of each covering.

In examples, the stationary floor includes a substantially level surfacefrom the inlet end to the outlet end. The stationary floor can include asubstantially continuous surface throughout all of the plurality ofsequential work volumes.

In examples, the enclosed channel is raised.

In examples, the one or more bins are configured to be disposed beneaththe stationary floor, each of the one or more bins being configured toreceive one or more of the plurality of deformable articles having oneor more characteristics associated with at least one of the one or morebins. One of the one or more bins (e.g., sorting bins) can be disposedbeneath the exit orifice for receiving each one of the plurality ofdeformable articles exiting the enclosed channel individually.

In examples, each of the one or more bins includes an identificationmarker for associating an identity of the bin. The one or morecharacteristics can include at least one of color, size, materialcomposition, article type, degree of dirtiness, and fabric heattolerance. The device can include an actuated carousel in operablecommunication with the controller, the actuated carousel beingconfigured to receive thereon the one or more bins and rotate the one ormore bins beneath the enclosed channel to match a characteristic of oneof the one or more bins positioned beneath the outlet orifice with theone or more characteristics of each one of the plurality of deformablearticles exiting the enclosed channel. In examples, the identificationmarker includes at least one of a machine-readable serial number, a barcode, a machine-readable QR code, an RFID code, NFC tag, a WIFI enabledtag, a ZIGBEE enabled tag, and an active radio telemetry system. Amemory in communication with the controller can be configured to storeat least one relation including one of the one or more characteristicsassociated with the bin, the bin identification marker for each of theone or more bins, and a customer identity shared by the plurality ofdeformable articles received into the enclosed channel.

In examples, the controller is in communication with a communicationnetwork and a remote terminal in communication with the communicationnetwork is configured to receive a customer input including the one ormore characteristics associated with the plurality of deformablearticles.

In examples the at least one sensor is configured to detect the one ormore characteristics of each one of the plurality of deformable articlesand output a signal to the controller including the detected one or morecharacteristics. The at least one sensor can include at least one of a3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonar proximitysensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, a pair of stereodepth cameras, and a spectrometer. In examples, the at least one sensorsoutputs at least one of depth map, RGB images, and IR images. The atleast one sensor can be configured to output 3-D image data to thecontroller. The at least one sensor are configured to output one or more2-D images to the controller. In examples, the at least one sensor is acamera, and the camera is calibrated to the floor of the enclosedchannel and one or more of the plurality of arms.

In examples, the controller is further configured to determine, based ona comparison of a received output signal of the at least one sensor todata stored in a memory in communication with the controller, at leastone of an article type, an article color, an article size, and anarticle fabric. At least one of the at least one sensor is a 2-D cameraand the data associated with repositioned deformable laundry article issize invariant image data. The memory can further include a neuralnetwork and determining the one or more characteristics of each one ofthe plurality of deformable articles includes processing the receivedoutput signal of the at least one sensor of each of the plurality ofwork volumes with a neural network classifier.

In examples, the controller is further configured to receive an outputsignal including an image, determine, based on the output signal, anumber of pixels in each of an upper half and a lower half of the image,the number of pixels being representative of at least one deformablearticle being grasped by a terminal gripper and held at a hoist height,and determine based on the number of pixels in the lower half of theimage exceeding a preset threshold that the at least one deformablearticle is a large sized article.

In examples, the controller is further configured to receive an outputsignal including an image of a deformable article in the enclosedchannel, determine, based on the output signal and a calibratedcoordinate space, where in the calibrated coordinate space each pixelsof the image lies, and determine at least one of a location, shape, andsize of the deformable article. In examples, the at least one sensor isa camera and the camera is calibrated to the floor of the enclosedchannel and one or more of the plurality of arms.

In examples, the controller is further configured to determine, based onreceiving a signal from the at least one sensor disposed within at leastone of the plurality of sequential work volumes, that none of theplurality of deformable articles remain on the stationary floor in anyof the plurality of sequential work volumes. Upon determining that noneof the plurality of deformable articles remain on the stationary floorin any of the plurality of sequential work volumes, the controller isfurther configured to instruct an actuator of the carousel to transitthe one or more bins of the sorted plurality of deformable articles toone or more autonomous combination washing and drying machines.

In examples, a retractable cleaner is configured to advance through theenclosed channel from the inlet end to the outlet end while cleaning oneor more interior surfaces. The retractable cleaner can form the inletwall of the enclosed channel in a fully retracted position. Inimplementations, the retractable cleaner includes a planar profilecontoured and fitted to a cross sectional profile of the enclosedchannel. The retractable cleaner includes an actuatable cleaning drivein operable communication with the controller. Upon determining thatnone of the plurality of articles remain on the stationary floor in anyof the sequential work volumes, the controller is configured to instructthe retractable cleaner to advance from the inlet end to the outlet endof the enclosed channel. The controller can be configured to instructthe plurality of arms to retract from their associated work volumesprior to the retractable cleaner advancing through the plurality of workvolumes such that only the terminal gripper of each of the plurality ofarms remains within an associated work volume. The retractable cleanercan include a slot configured to pass over and clean the terminalgripper.

In examples, one or more UV lights are in operable communication withthe controller. The one or more UV lights illuminate the one or moresequential work volumes of the enclosed channel after the retractablecleaner advances to the outlet end and retracts to the inlet end. Theone or more UV lights can be disposed on an interior surface of theenclosed channel. The controller can be further configured to instructthe plurality of arms fully extend into the enclosed channel before theone or more UV lights are illuminated.

In examples, the retractable cleaner further includes one or more wheelsextending from a face of the retractable cleaner for guiding motion ofthe retractable cleaner along one or more interior surfaces of theenclosed channel.

In examples, the retractable cleaner further includes a plurality ofspray ports disposed along a continuous outer surface of the retractablecleaner facing the one or more interior surfaces of the enclosedchannel. A service line can be in fluid communication with the pluralityof spray ports. The service line can be configured to provide a cleaningfluid for application to the one or more interior surfaces via theplurality of ports. The cleaning fluid includes at least one of steam,water, detergent, germicide, and pesticide. The service line can furtherinclude at least one of a vacuum line and a power conduit.

In examples, the retractable cleaner further includes a plurality ofevacuation ports disposed along the continuous outer surface of theretractable cleaner facing the one or more interior surfaces of theenclosed channel. The plurality of evacuation ports can be in operativecommunication with the vacuum line for suctioning remaining moisturefrom the one or more interior surfaces of the enclosed channel uponadvancement of the retractable cleaner through the enclosed channel.

In examples, the retractable cleaner includes a squeegee on a trailingedge of the continuous outer surface of the retractable cleaner facingthe one or more interior surfaces of the enclosed channel.

In examples, the device further includes at least one fill sensor incommunication with the controller. The at least one fill sensor isconfigured to detect an occupied volume of the one or more bins. The atleast one fill sensor can be an optical sensor configured to detect aminimum threshold fill line and a maximum threshold fill line disposedon an interior surface of one of the one or more bins positioned beneaththe exit orifice. The fill sensor can be configured to detect whetherthe of one or more of the plurality of deformable articles received inthe one of the one or more bins reaches or surpasses the minimumthreshold fill line. In examples, the maximum threshold fill line is atop edge of the one of the one or more bins, and the fill sensor isconfigured to output a signal indicative of the occupied volume of theone of the one or more bins being with a threshold range between theminimum threshold fill line and maximum threshold fill line. Upondetermining an occupied volume of the one of the one or more bins iswithin a threshold range indicative of being filled, the controller isfurther configured to instruct the carousel to unload the filled one ofthe one or more bins containing the sorted plurality of deformablearticles to an autonomous combination washing and drying machine.

In examples, the at least one fill sensor is a weight sensor disposedbeneath the one of the one or more bins positioned beneath the exitorifice and configured to detect whether the weight of the one of theone or more bins reaches or surpasses a minimum threshold weightindicative of a bin full condition. The weight sensor can be a scale.

In examples, the at least one fill sensor is configured to output asignal indicative of a bin full condition. Upon determining a bin fullcondition, the controller is further configured to instruct the carouselto unload the filled one of the one or more bins containing the sortedplurality of deformable articles to an autonomous combination washingand drying machine.

In examples, the plurality of deformable articles includes one or moreloads of dirty household laundry. The plurality of deformable articlescan include two or more article types of at least one of differentsizes, different shapes, different colors, and different fabrics.

In examples, the device further includes an actuated outlet door inoperable communication with the controller. The controller can befurther configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensorindicative of the presence of a deformable article above the outletorifice, and actuate the outlet door to reveal the outlet orifice when adeformable article is positioned above the outlet orifice for exitingthe channel.

In examples, the inlet orifice is disposed in ceiling of the enclosedchannel. The device further includes an actuatable inlet door inoperable communication with the controller. The actuatable inlet door isconfigured to selectively seal and expose the inlet orifice. Uponalignment of a sealed container containing the plurality deformablearticles above the inlet orifice, the controller is further configuredto actuate the inlet door to reveal the inlet orifice. In examples, thedevice further includes a pair of rotatable clamps configured to engagethe container and rotate the container to an inverted position fordropping the plurality of deformable articles onto the stationary floorof the enclosed channel. A hinged lid of the sealed container can beconfigured to open into the inlet orifice upon rotation to an invertedposition.

In examples, the plurality of arms of the device each further include arod configured to extend from an anchor at corresponding individuallyanchored positions. The rod includes a fully extended length of betweenabout 0.25 m and 4 m. The anchor includes at least one drive, and the atleast one drive includes a pan drive, a tilt drive, and an extend drive.The controller can be further configured to drive the at least one drivein at least one of alternating side-to-side and alternating up and downmotions to shake a grasped deformable article of the plurality ofdeformable articles at the hoist height.

In examples, each one of the plurality of arms includes between one andthree degrees of freedom.

In examples, each one of the plurality of arms includes at least onecompliant joint. The at least one compliant joint can include acompliant wrist disposed between the extendable rod and the terminalgripper.

In examples, the terminal gripper of each of the plurality of armsincludes at least two actuatable fingers. The at least two actuatablefingers can include an overmold including a durometer of between about40 A to 80 A.

In examples, the terminal gripper of each of the plurality of arms is atleast one of cable driven and pneumatically driven, and an actuator ofeach terminal gripper is in operable communication with the controller.

In examples, the device further includes a wrist disposed between eachof the plurality of arms and an associated terminal gripper. The wristincludes one or more sensors configured to detect forces applied to theterminal gripper.

In examples, each anchor is disposed on a base outside the enclosedchannel and the associated one of the plurality of arms disposed on thebase extends through a side wall of the enclosed channel. The device canfurther include a plurality of openings in a sidewall of the enclosedchannel, each of the plurality of openings being configured to receive arod of each one of the plurality of arms therethrough and a sealdisposed about each of the plurality of openings through which the rodof each one of the plurality of arms extends. The seal can includesand/or be manufactured from a flexible material configured to stretch asthe rod extends, pans, tilts, and retracts. The seal can be pleated andcompressible. The seal can be configured to enable the rod to retract sothat only the terminal gripper remains exposed within the enclosedchannel. The flexible material can include at least one of NEOPRENE,vinyl, rubber, plastic, leather, urethane, silicone, and elastane(SPANDEX).

In examples, a plurality anchors each associated with the plurality ofarms are disposed on at least one of a wall, the stationary floor, andthe ceiling of the enclosed channel.

In examples, the hoist height is a predetermined hoist height. Thepredetermined hoist height can includes a range of between about 0.5 to4 m above the stationary floor.

In examples, the device further includes one or more weight sensorsdisposed on each of the plurality of arms. The one or more weight sensorare in operative communication with the controller and configured tocontinuously detect a rate of change as each one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles is raised. The controller is configured todetermine each one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles israised to a hoist height when the one or more weight sensors detect anunchanging rate of change of measured weight.

In examples, the at least one sensor of the device includes at least oneof a 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonarproximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, and apair of stereo depth cameras. The at least one sensor can output to thecontroller at least one of a depth map, RGB images, and IR images. Theat least one sensor can be configured to output 3-D image data to thecontroller. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor canbe configured to output one or more 2-D images to the controller. Inexamples, the at least one sensor is a camera and the camera iscalibrated to the floor of the enclosed channel and one or more of theplurality of arms.

In examples, determining a location of the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles on the stationary floor further includesdetermining one or more grip points on the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles. In examples, the one or more grip points aredisposed on a high point of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more grippoints are disposed on an edge of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. Additionally or alternatively, the controller isconfigured to generate a mask of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles and identify one or more grip points that aredisposed within an area of the mask.

In examples, the at least one sensor is disposed outside the enclosedchannel above one or more of the plurality of sequential work volumes.

In examples, the at least one sensor is disposed adjacent a transparentwindow in a ceiling of the enclosed channel and includes a field of viewencompassing the associated work volume.

In examples, the at least one sensor is disposed within the enclosedchannel adjacent one of the plurality of arms and includes a field ofview encompassing the work volume associated with the adjacent one ofthe plurality of arms.

In one example, a method of robotically sorting a plurality ofdeformable laundry articles into loads for washing includes receiving,at a controller, a signal from at least one sensor disposed at least oneof on, adjacent to, and within one or more of a plurality of sequentialwork volumes, the signal being indicative of at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles being disposed within the atleast one of the plurality of sequential work volumes. The methodincludes determining, based on the received signal, a location of the atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles on a stationary floorwithin at least one of the plurality of sequential work volumes, theplurality of sequential work volumes being constituent to an enclosedchannel and the stationary floor extending between an inlet end and anoutlet end of the enclosed channel, a portion of the stationary flooradjacent the inlet end being configured to receive thereon the pluralityof deformable laundry articles. The method includes instructing at leastone drive of at least one of a plurality of arms disposed in seriesalong the enclosed channel to at least one of rotate, tilt, extend, andretract a terminal gripper configured to selectively grasp at least oneof the plurality of deformable laundry articles at the determinedlocation, each one of the plurality of arms being associated with one ofthe plurality of sequential work volumes. The method includesinstructing, by the controller, an actuator of the terminal gripper toclose on the at least one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles. The method includes instructing the at least one drive toraise the closed terminal gripper and the grasped at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles to a hoist height above thestationary floor, and rotate toward the outlet end into an adjacent workvolume. The method includes instructing the actuator of the terminalgripper to open the gripper to release the at least one of the pluralityof deformable laundry articles in the adjacent work volume, receiving asignal from at least one sensor in the adjacent work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes, and determining, based on thereceived signal, a state including at least one of the following: one ormore of the plurality of deformable laundry articles are present on thestationary floor, one or more of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles are not present on the stationary floor, and one the pluralityof deformable laundry articles exited the enclosed channel through anoutlet orifice disposed in the stationary floor adjacent the outlet end.

Implementations of the method may include one or more of the followingfeatures.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes.

In examples, the outlet orifice is disposed in a last work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes, the last work volume beingadjacent the outlet end.

In examples, the outlet orifice is disposed in the stationary floor of alast of the plurality of sequential work volumes.

In some examples, a number of work volumes including the plurality ofsequential work volumes is one greater than the number of the pluralityof arms and each of the plurality of arms is associated with a workvolume directly adjacent at least one other work volume associated withone of the plurality of arms.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes, and the plurality of arms includes three or morearms. Each of the three or more arms is associated with one of the threeor more work volumes.

In examples, the plurality of sequential work volumes includes three ormore work volumes and an outlet-facing end of each of the three or morework volumes overlaps with an inlet-facing end of an adjacent sequentialone of the three or more work volumes such that each arm of theplurality of arms is configured to extend into one or more adjacent workvolumes of the plurality of sequential work volumes.

In examples, the method further includes, based on determining clothesare present on the stationary floor in the adjacent work volume,iteratively determining a location of the at least one of the pluralityof deformable laundry articles on the stationary floor relative to anarm of the plurality of arms associated with the adjacent work volume,instructing the at least one drive of the arm associated with theadjacent work volume to position the terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume at the determined location tograsp the at least one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles,instructing an actuator of the terminal gripper of the arm associatedwith the adjacent work volume to close on the at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles, instructing the at least onedrive to raise the closed terminal gripper of the arm associated withthe adjacent work volume and the grasped at least one of the pluralityof deformable laundry articles to a hoist height above the stationaryfloor and rotate toward the outlet end into a next sequential adjacentwork volume of the three or more work volumes, instructing the actuatorof the terminal gripper to open the gripper to release the at least oneof the plurality of deformable laundry articles in the next sequentialadjacent work volume, receiving a signal from the at least one sensorconfigured to detect the at least one of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles in the next sequential adjacent work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes, and determining, based on thereceived signal, a state including at least one of the following: one ormore of the plurality of deformable laundry articles are present on thestationary floor, one or more of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles are not present on the stationary floor, and one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles exited the enclosed channelthrough the outlet orifice.

In examples, the method further includes stopping iterating when eachone of the plurality of deformable laundry articles exits the enclosedchannel through the outlet orifice as a solitary deformable article.

In examples, the method further includes instructing two or more of theplurality of arms to operate simultaneously within each associated oneof the plurality of sequential work volumes. The terminal grippers ofthe two or more of the plurality of arms operating simultaneously areconfigured to simultaneously grasp at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles.

In examples, the method further includes instructing the at least onedrive to move the terminal gripper in at least one of alternatingside-to-side and alternating up and down motions to shake a graspeddeformable article of the plurality of deformable articles at the hoistheight.

In examples, the at least one sensor of the device includes at least oneof a 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonarproximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, and apair of stereo depth cameras. The at least one sensor can output to thecontroller at least one of a depth map, RGB images, and IR images. Theat least one sensor can be configured to output 3-D image data to thecontroller. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor canbe configured to output one or more 2-D images to the controller. Inexamples, the at least one sensor is a camera and the camera iscalibrated to the floor of the enclosed channel and one or more of theplurality of arms.

In examples, determining a location of the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles on the stationary floor further includesdetermining one or more grip points on the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles. In examples, the one or more grip points aredisposed on a high point of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more grippoints are disposed on an edge of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles.

In examples, the method further includes, based on determining clothesare not present on the stationary floor in the adjacent work volume,receiving a signal from the at least one sensor indicative of at leastone of the plurality of deformable laundry articles remaining disposedwithin the one of the plurality of sequential work volumes preceding theadjacent work volume, determining a location of the at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles on the stationary floorrelative to the associated arm, instructing the at least one drive toposition the terminal gripper of the associated arm at the determinedlocation to grasp the at least one of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles, instructing an actuator of the terminal gripper of theassociated arm to close on the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, instructing the at least one drive to raise theclosed terminal gripper of the associated arm and the grasped at leastone of the plurality of deformable laundry articles to a hoist heightabove the stationary floor and rotate toward the outlet end into theadjacent work volume, instructing the actuator of the terminal gripperto open the gripper to release the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles in the adjacent work volume, anddetermining, based on the received signal, a state including at leastone of the following: one or more of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles are present on the stationary floor, one or more of theplurality of deformable laundry articles are not present on thestationary floor, and one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles exited the enclosed channel through the outlet orifice.

In examples, determining a location of the at least one of the pluralityof deformable laundry articles on the stationary floor relative to theassociated arm includes the controller executing a series ofinstructions to perform a background subtraction routine on an inputsignal including a 2D image to locate at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles disposed on the stationary floor.

In examples, the background subtraction routine includes outputting alocation of a perimeter of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles on the stationary floor relative to the atleast one sensor and a current position of the terminal gripper.

In examples, the method further includes receiving a current signal fromthe at least one drive indicative of none of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles being grasped in the terminal gripper at the hoistheight. The controller can determine that the terminal gripper closedwithout grasping the detected at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles and repeat the steps of determining alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles on the stationary floor relative to an arm of the plurality ofarms associated with the adjacent work volume, instructing the at leastone drive of the arm associated with the adjacent work volume toposition the terminal gripper of the arm associated with the adjacentwork volume at the determined location to grasp the at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles, and instructing an actuator ofthe terminal gripper of the arm associated with the adjacent work volumeto close on the at least one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles.

In examples, the method further includes receiving a contact sensorsignal from at least one contact sensor on a gripping surface of theterminal gripper indicative of none of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles being grasped in the terminal gripper at the hoistheight. The method further includes determining that the terminalgripper closed without grasping the detected at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles and repeating the steps ofdetermining a location of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles on the stationary floor relative to an armof the plurality of arms associated with the adjacent work volume,instructing the at least one drive of the arm associated with theadjacent work volume to position the terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume at the determined location tograsp the at least one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles,and instructing an actuator of the terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume to close on the at least one ofthe plurality of deformable laundry articles.

In examples, the method further includes, upon the at least one sensoroutputting a signal that none of the plurality of deformable articlesare present on the stationary floor, receiving another signal outputfrom the at least one sensor. In examples, the signal includes a 2Dimage, and the controller is configured to determine a perimeter of atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles disposed on thestationary floor. In examples, the another signal includes a 3D imageand the controller is further configured to determine a height above thestationary floor of at least one article of the plurality of deformablearticles disposed on the stationary floor. In examples, the anothersignal includes a 2D image and the controller is further configured toperform a background subtraction routine to locate at least one of theplurality of deformable articles disposed on the stationary floor.

In examples, one or more bins are configured to be disposed beneath thestationary floor, and each of the one or more bins is configured toreceive one or more of the plurality of deformable laundry articleshaving one or more characteristics associated with at least one of theone or more bins. In examples, one of the one or more bins (e.g.,sorting bins) is disposed beneath the exit orifice for receiving eachone of the plurality of deformable laundry articles exiting the enclosedchannel individually. In examples, each of the one or more bins includesan identification marker for associating an identity of the bin. The oneor more characteristics include at least one of color, size, materialcomposition, article type, degree of dirtiness, and fabric heattolerance.

In examples, the method further includes actuating a carousel inoperable communication with the controller, the carousel beingconfigured to receive thereon the one or more bins. Actuating thecarousel includes repositioning the one or more bins beneath theenclosed channel to match a characteristic of one of the one or morebins positioned beneath the outlet orifice with the one or morecharacteristics of each one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles exiting the enclosed channel.

In examples, the identification marker includes at least one of amachine-readable serial number, a bar code, a machine-readable QR code,an RFID code, NFC tag, a WIFI enabled tag, a ZIGBEE enabled tag, and anactive radio telemetry system.

In examples, the method further includes storing on a memory incommunication with the controller, at least one relation including oneof the one or more characteristics associated with the bin, the binidentification marker for each of the one or more bins, and a customeridentity shared by the plurality of deformable laundry articles receivedinto the enclosed channel. In examples, the method further includesreceiving the one or more characteristics associated with the pluralityof deformable laundry articles via a communication network configured toreceive a customer input at a remote terminal in wired or wirelesscommunication with the controller in communication with thecommunication network. In examples, the method further includesreceiving the one or more characteristics of each one of the pluralityof deformable laundry articles as an output signal from the at least onesensor in communication with the controller.

In examples, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a 3-Dcamera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonar proximitysensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, a pair of stereodepth cameras, and a spectrometer. The at least one sensor can output tothe controller at least one of a depth map, RGB images, and IR images.The at least one sensor can be configured to output 3-D image data tothe controller. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensorcan be configured to output one or more 2-D images to the controller. Inexamples, the at least one sensor is a camera and the camera iscalibrated to the floor of the enclosed channel and one or more of theplurality of arms.

In examples, the controller is further configured to determine, based ona comparison of a received output signal of the at least one sensor todata stored in a memory in communication with the controller, at leastone of an article type, an article color, an article size, and anarticle fabric. In examples, the at least one of the at least one sensoris a 2-D camera and the data associated with the deformable laundryarticle is size invariant image data. In examples, the memory furtherincludes a neural network, and determining the one or morecharacteristics of each one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles includes processing the received output signal of the at leastone sensor associated with each one of the plurality of work volumeswith a neural network classifier.

In examples, the method further includes receiving, by the controller,an output signal including an image, determining, based on the outputsignal, a number of pixels in each of an upper half and a lower half ofthe image, the number of pixels being representative of at least onedeformable laundry article being grasped by a terminal gripper and heldat a hoist height, and determining based on the number of pixels in thelower half of the image exceeding a preset threshold that the at leastone deformable laundry article includes a large sized article.

In examples, the method further includes receiving, by the controller,an output signal including an image of a deformable article in theenclosed channel, determining, based on the output signal and acalibrated coordinate space, where in the calibrated coordinate spaceeach pixels of the image lies, and determining at least one of alocation, shape, and size of the deformable article.

In examples, the method further includes determining, based on receivinga signal from the at least one sensor disposed within each of theplurality of sequential work volumes, that none of the plurality ofdeformable articles remain on the stationary floor in any of theplurality of sequential work volumes. In examples, the method furtherincludes upon determining that none of the plurality of deformablearticles remain on the stationary floor in any of the plurality ofsequential work volumes, instructing an actuator of a carouselsupporting one or more bins for collecting the one or more deformablelaundry articles to transit the one or more bins of the sorted pluralityof deformable articles to one or more autonomous combination washing anddrying machines.

In examples, the method further includes receiving, by the controller,an output signal of at least one fill sensor. The at least one fillsensor is configured to detect an occupied volume of the one or morebins. In examples, the fill sensor is an optical sensor focused on aminimum threshold fill line and a maximum threshold fill line disposedon an interior surface of one of the one or more bins positioned beneaththe exit orifice. The fill sensor is configured to detect whether the ofone or more of the plurality of deformable laundry articles received inthe one of the one or more bins reaches or surpasses the minimumthreshold fill line. The maximum threshold fill line can be a top edgeof the one of the one or more bins. In examples, the method furtherincludes receiving, by the controller, an output signal from the fillsensor indicative of the occupied volume of the one of the one or morebins being with a threshold range between the minimum threshold fillline and maximum threshold fill line. Upon determining an occupiedvolume of the one of the one or more bins is within a threshold rangeindicative of being filled, the method includes instructing the carouselto transit the filled one of the one or more bins containing the sortedplurality of deformable laundry articles to an autonomous combinationwashing and drying machine. Additionally or alternatively, in examples,the at least one fill sensor is a weight sensor disposed beneath the oneof the one or more bins positioned beneath the exit orifice andconfigured to detect whether the weight of the one of the one or morebins reaches or surpasses a minimum threshold weight indicative of a binfull condition.

The at least one fill sensor is configured to output a signal indicativeof a bin full condition. Upon determining a bin full condition, themethod includes instructing the carousel to unload the filled one of theone or more bins containing the sorted plurality of deformable laundryarticles to an autonomous combination washing and drying machine.

In examples, the at least one sensor of the device includes at least oneof a 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonarproximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, and apair of stereo depth cameras. In examples, the method further includesreceiving by the controller one or more outputs from the at least onesensor including at least one of a depth map, RGB images, and IR images.The at least one sensor can be configured to output 3-D image data tothe controller. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensorcan be configured to output one or more 2-D images to the controller. Inexamples, the at least one sensor is a camera and the camera iscalibrated to the floor of the enclosed channel and one or more of theplurality of arms.

In examples, determining a location of the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles on the stationary floor further includesdetermining one or more grip points on the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles. In examples, the one or more grip points aredisposed on a high point of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more grippoints are disposed on an edge of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. In examples, the at least one sensor is disposedoutside the enclosed channel above each of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes. Additionally or alternatively, in examples, the at leastone sensor is disposed adjacent a transparent window in a ceiling of theenclosed channel and includes a field of view encompassing theassociated work volume. Additionally or alternatively, in examples, theat least one sensor is disposed within the enclosed channel adjacent anassociated one of the plurality of arms and includes a field of viewencompassing the associated work volume.

In examples, the controller includes at least one controller in operablecommunication with the at least one drive and the at least one sensor.In examples, the controller is in communication with a communicationnetwork and one or more memory stores in communication with thecommunication network. The controller can be in communication with oneor more other controllers in remote communication with the communicationnetwork. The communication network is at least one of a wired andwireless network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of an example autonomous robotic laundryprocess line.

FIG. 2 depicts a schematic of an example autonomous robotic laundryprocess line including one intake and output and a plurality of washingand drying robots.

FIG. 3 depicts a schematic of a plurality of autonomous robotic laundryprocess lines including a plurality of intakes and outputs and aplurality of washing and drying robots.

FIG. 4 depicts a schematic example of a system for controlling anautonomous robotic laundry process line.

FIG. 5 depicts a schematic example of a system of autonomous devicesconfigured to separate and sort household laundry articles.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of an arm side of an implementation ofan autonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 7 depicts a cut away perspective view of an interior of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting device of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of a back side of the autonomouslaundry separating and sorting device of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 depicts a schematic top down view of an implementation of anautonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 10 depicts a schematic view of an implementation of an autonomouslaundry separating and sorting system.

FIG. 11 depicts a schematic view of an implementation of an autonomouslaundry separating and sorting system.

FIG. 12 depicts a perspective partial view of an implementation of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 13 depicts an end view cross section schematic of an implementationof a machine vision system of the autonomous laundry separating andsorting system.

FIG. 14A depicts an end view cross section schematics of animplementation of the autonomous laundry separating and sorting systemwith enclosure walls removed for clarity to show sensors anddetermination of grip points of an article.

FIG. 14B depicts the end view cross section schematics of FIG. 14 with agripper engaging one of the grip points of the article.

FIG. 15A depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of animplementation of an autonomous laundry separating and sorting system atthe start of a sorting process.

FIG. 15B depicts the implementation of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting system of 15A at a next step in the sorting process.

FIG. 16A depicts the implementation of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting system of 15B at a next step in the sorting process.

FIG. 16B depicts the implementation of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting system of 16A at a next step in the sorting process.

FIG. 17A depicts the implementation of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting system of 16B at a next step in the sorting process.

FIG. 17B depicts the implementation of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting system of 17A at a next step in the sorting process.

FIG. 18 depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting system during the sortingprocess.

FIG. 19 depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of animplementation of an autonomous laundry separating and sorting systembeginning a two-arm hoist of a deformable article.

FIG. 20 depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting system of FIG. 19 during atwo-arm hoist of a deformable article.

FIG. 21 depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting system of FIG. 20 comprising atwo-arm hoist of a deformable article.

FIG. 22 depicts a schematic perspective view of a portion of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting system having a largedeformable article therein.

FIG. 23 depicts a perspective partial view of an implementation of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting device comprising anactuatable inlet orifice door.

FIG. 24A depicts a perspective side view schematic of the actuatableinlet orifice door of FIG. 23.

FIG. 24B depicts a side view schematic of the actuatable inlet orificedoor of FIG. 23.

FIG. 24C depicts a partial perspective side view schematic of theactuatable inlet orifice door of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 depicts an implementation of a system for introducing deformablearticles into the autonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 26 depicts a side view of the system of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 depicts an enlarged view of a portion of a portion of the systemof FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 depicts an elevator configured to raise a container (e.g., box)of dirty laundry articles for transfer to an autonomous dirty laundrybox tipping assembly disposed above the separating and sorting robot.

FIG. 29A depicts an alternate schematic implementation of systems forintroducing deformable articles into the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device with a vacuum tube.

FIG. 29B depicts an alternate schematic implementation of systems forintroducing deformable articles into the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device comprising a lay-flat box configured to open and layflat to reveal contents within an enclosed channel.

FIG. 29C depicts an alternate schematic implementation of systems forintroducing deformable articles into the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device with a grabbing claw for removing articles from acontainer received within an enclosed channel.

FIG. 29D depicts an alternate schematic implementation of systems forintroducing deformable articles into the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device with a sliding shelf configured to pass a containerthrough an orifice, into an enclosed channel and rotate to dump thecontents of the container within the enclosed channel.

FIG. 29E depicts an alternate schematic implementation of systems forintroducing deformable articles into the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device comprising an angled shelf for tilting a containerintroduced into an enclosed channel for emptying by an arm of thedevice.

FIG. 30A depicts an autonomous dirty laundry box tipping assembly forloading dirty laundry into an autonomous washing and drying device froma bin held therein.

FIG. 30B depicts the autonomous dirty laundry box tipping assembly ofFIG. 30A in a partially overturned rotational position.

FIG. 30C depicts the autonomous dirty laundry box tipping assembly ofFIG. 30A in a fully inverted rotational position.

FIG. 31 depicts an exploded view of the autonomous dirty laundry boxtipping assembly of FIG. 30A relative to a box.

FIG. 32 depicts a partial cut away view of an end portion of an enclosedchannel and a load sorting and batching system of an implementation ofthe autonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 33 depicts a schematic implementation of a neural network forclassifying and sorting articles.

FIG. 34 depicts a perspective end view of an implementation of acleaning system of the autonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 35 depicts a cross section schematic end view of a cleaning systemof the autonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 36 depicts an example of an arm of the autonomous separating andsorting robot.

FIG. 37 depicts a portion of the arm of FIG. 36 with partialtransparency to reveal inner working elements of a drive system.

FIG. 38 depicts a rotated view of the portion of the arm of FIG. 37showing an implementation of a drive system of the arm of the autonomouslaundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 39A depicts an example hinged gripper of the autonomous laundryseparating and sorting device.

FIG. 39B depicts an example pulley driven gripper of the autonomouslaundry separating and sorting device.

FIGS. 40A-B depict example grippers of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device.

FIGS. 41A-B depict example grippers of the autonomous laundry separatingand sorting device.

FIG. 42A depicts an example gloved gripper in an open position.

FIG. 42B depicts an example gloved gripper in a closed position.

FIG. 43A depicts a side cut away view of an example wrist of theautonomous laundry separating and sorting device.

FIG. 43B depicts a back perspective cut away view of the wrist of FIG.43A.

FIG. 44 depicts a side perspective cut away view and close up of aportion of the wrist of FIGS. 43A-B.

FIG. 45 depicts an implementation of a method of autonomously separatingand sorting a load of dirty laundry with an autonomous separating andsorting device.

FIG. 46 depicts a schematic of an implementation of image processing todetect an article disposed in the autonomous laundry separating andsorting device.

FIG. 47 depicts a state diagram of the autonomous laundry separating andsorting device.

FIG. 48 depicts an implementation of a load constructor for identifyingand aligning designated bins with an outlet orifice of the separatingand sorting device.

FIG. 49 depicts an exploded view of a portion of the load constructor ofFIG. 48 showing a pop up transfer roller assembly raised above a driveroller.

FIG. 50 depicts a side view of an implementation of a single pop uptransfer roller assembly of FIG. 49.

FIG. 51A depicts an example weight sensor disposed beneath a loadconstructor.

FIG. 51B depicts the weight sensor of FIG. 51A.

FIG. 52A depicts a single conveyor of the load constructor of FIG. 48.

FIG. 52B depicts a partial perspective view of a pop up transfer rollerassembly of FIG. 52A.

FIG. 53 depicts a side perspective view of a plurality of interoperativepop up transfer roller assemblies geared to rotate together on a singleconveyor of the load constructor of FIG. 48.

FIG. 54 depicts an end perspective view of the plurality ofinteroperative pop up transfer roller assemblies of FIG. 53.

FIG. 55A schematic view of a first introduction of a bin into a loadconstructor loading position.

FIG. 55B depicts a schematic view of an introduction of a second bininto the load constructor loading position of FIG. 55A.

FIG. 56A depicts a schematic view of potential movements of a bindisposed on a load constructor.

FIG. 56B depicts a schematic view of a plurality of cameras disposedabout a load constructor.

FIGS. 57A-D depict a sequence of moves of a plurality of bins disposedon a load constructor for filling beneath an outlet orifice of aseparating and sorting robot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to autonomous robotic devices, systems, andmethods for handling residential loads of laundry without relying onhuman labor and human related injuries, inefficiencies, theft, andpotential contamination. Laundry articles are collected from householdsand delivered to one or more process lines for cleaning, packing, andreturning to the households. The autonomous processes are time and costefficient, eliminate human intervention-based delays, eliminate lineworkers and associated potential introduction of human contaminantsintroduced by line workers, and eliminate any concerns with havingprivate personal items handled by strangers. The system includes one ormore autonomous process lines comprising a plurality of autonomousrobotic devices configured to work in concert to process one or moredirty loads of household laundry from a collection of dirty, non-uniformarticles to individually separated, cleaned, folded, and packed laundryarticles. The plurality of autonomous robotic devices operate withouthuman intervention to efficiently and effectively launder a plurality ofcustomers' dirty items, including masses of both uniform and non-uniformarticles. This disclosure relates to autonomous robotic devicesconfigured to separate individual articles from a mass of a plurality ofdirty laundry articles, sort the individual articles into one or moreloads of laundry according to one or more load construction guidelines,and introduce the one or more loads of laundry to one or morecombination washer dryers.

As shown in FIG. 1, in implementations of the system, a process line 100a comprises a plurality of autonomous robots configured to operate inseries without human intervention to process and transport dirty laundrythrough the cleaning process, folding and repackaging the clean laundryfor return to a household. In one implementation, the process line 100 acomprises an automated intake robot 2000 for receiving a load of dirtyhousehold laundry comprising a plurality of deformable laundry articles.The deformable laundry articles can be non-uniform in type, size, shape,thickness, color, and fabric (e.g., material type). For example, theplurality of deformable laundry articles can include items commonlylaundered in homes, such as sheets, towels, table cloths, curtains, andadult and children's garments, for example, tee shirts, pants, socks,undergarments, dresses, dress shirts, and blouses. The autonomous intakerobot 2000 is configured to introduce the plurality of deformablelaundry articles to a separating and sorting robot 3000 configured toseparate out each one of the deformable laundry articles of theplurality of deformable laundry articles. In implementations, theseparating and sorting robot 3000 is configured to sort each one of theseparated deformable laundry articles into one or more related batchesfor washing. In implementations, the separating and sorting robot 3000is configured to intelligently batch the separated each one of thedeformable laundry articles according to a programmed sorting algorithmbased, for example, on criteria including at least one of materialcolor, material type, article size, customer washing preference, watertemperature requirements, stain treatment requirements, and load size(e.g., weight and/or physical volume). In implementations, theseparating and sorting robot 3000 is configured to identify and recordthe number and types of garments in the load of laundry and provide thisinformation to one or more robots of the process line 100 a.

The separating and sorting robot 3000 outputs one or more intelligentlysorted batches of deformable laundry articles to one or more washing anddrying robots 4000 for laundering. The one or more washing and dryingrobots 4000 output the clean laundry articles to a clean laundryseparating robot 5000. Implementations of the clean laundry separatingrobot 5000 can be similar or identical to the separating and sortingrobot 3000. The clean laundry separating robot 5000 is configured toseparate a load of clean laundry into individual deformable laundryarticles for introduction into a repositioning robot 6000. Inimplementations, the repositioning robot 6000 receives a singledeformable laundry article and manipulates and repositions it forautomated introduction into a folding robot 7000, which automaticallyfolds the laundry article for introduction to a packing robot 8000. Inimplementations, the packing robot 8000 automatically and autonomouslypacks the clean load of laundry comprising the plurality of clean andfolded deformable laundry articles in a shipping container for automatedredistribution to the customer. In implementations, the shippingcontainer is a reusable container, or box (e.g., a box with a removablelid for sealing contents within). In implementations, the shippingcontainer is a disposable container. In implementations, the shippingcontainer is a non-deformable container with an ingress protectionrating that includes an intrusion protection rating of 5 or 6 and amoisture protection rating of any and all of 1 through 6 in accordancewith the Ingress Protection Code, IEC standard 60529. In reusableimplementations, the shipping container can be washable.

Implementations of the process line 100 a of household laundry cleaningrobots can comprise one or more of each of the robots depicted inFIG. 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, each autonomous process line100 b can include a bank 4002 of washing and drying robots 4000 a-n. Inother implementations, as shown in FIG. 3, the autonomous process line100 c includes a bank 4002 of washing and drying robots 4000 a-n sharedby two or more sets of automated intake robots 2000 a-b and dirtylaundry separating and sorting robots 3000 a-b and two or more sets ofclean laundry separating robots 5000 a-b, repositioning robots 6000 a-b,folding robots 7000 a-b, and packing robots 8000 a-b. Additionally, twoor more of the robots can be combined in a single module in alternateimplementations. In implementations, one or more of the robots in theprocess line 100 a-c are configured to communicate over wiredconnections or wireless communication protocols. For example, inimplementations, one or more robots in the process line 100 a-c cancommunicate with another one or more robots in the process line 100 a-cover a wired BUS, LAN, WLAN, 4G, 5G, LTE, Ethernet, BLUETOOTH, or otherIEEE 801.11 standard.

Referring to FIG. 4, an example of a system 200 of operatively connectedrobots is shown. FIG. 4 depicts a schematic implementation of a portionof an autonomous robotic process line 100, 100 a-c. A dirty laundryseparating and sorting robot 3000 is in operative communication with anautomated intake robot 2000 configured to provide a plurality of dirtylaundry items from a single customer (e.g., one household) to the dirtylaundry separating and sorting robot 3000. The dirty laundry separatingand sorting robot 3000 is configured to provide intelligently sorted andbatched loads of dirty deformable laundry articles to the washing anddrying robot 4000 for effective and efficient washing and drying. Thewashing and drying robot 4000 is in operative communication with a cleanlaundry separating robot 5000 and outputs a load of clean laundry forseparation by the clean laundry separating robot 5000. Each robot 2000,3000, 4000 includes a controller 2005, 3005, 4005 configured to operatethe associated robot and the one or more controllers prompt intermediarywheel robots, conveyors, and/or carriers to transfer the one or moredeformable articles 12 between sequential robots in the process line100, 100 a-c.

For example, in implementations, the autonomous dirty laundry separatingand sorting robot 3000 includes a controller 3005. The controller 3005includes a processor 3015 in communication with a memory 3010, a networkinterface 3020, and a sensor interface 3025. The processor 3015 can be asingle microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, a many-core processor,a microcontroller, and/or any other general purpose computing systemthat can be configured by software and/or firmware. In implementations,the memory 3010 contains any of a variety of software applications, datastructures, files and/or databases. In one implementation, thecontroller 3005 includes dedicated hardware, such as single-boardcomputers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs).

A network interface 3020 is configured to couple the controller 3005 toa network 230. The network 230 may include both private networks, suchas local area networks, and public networks, such as the Internet. Itshould be noted that, in some examples, the network 230 may include oneor more intermediate devices involved in the routing of packets from oneendpoint to another. In implementations, the network interface 3020 iscoupled to the network 230 via a networking device, such as a bridge,router, or hub. In other implementations, the network 230 may involveonly two endpoints that each have a network connection directly with theother. In implementations, the network interface 3020 supports a varietyof standards and protocols, examples of which include USB (via, forexample, a dongle to a computer), TCP/IP, Ethernet, Wireless Ethernet,BLUETOOTH, ZigBee, M-Bus, CAN-bus, IP, IPV6, UDP, DTN, HTTP, FTP, SNMP,CDMA, NMEA and GSM. To ensure data transfer is secure, in some examples,the controller 3005 can transmit data via the network interface 3020using a variety of security measures including, for example, TLS, SSL orVPN. In implementations, the network interface 3020 includes both aphysical interface configured for wireless communication and a physicalinterface configured for wired communication. According to variousembodiments, the network interface 3020 enables communication betweenthe controller 3005 of the dirty laundry separating and sorting robot3000 and at least one of the plurality of robots 2000, 4000, 5000, 6000,7000, 8000, 9000 of the process line 100, 100 a-c.

Additionally or alternatively, the network interface 3020 is configuredto facilitate the communication of information between the processor3015 and one or more other devices or entities over the network 230. Forexample, in implementations, the network interface 3020 is configured tocommunicate with a remote computing device such as a computing terminal205, database 235, server 240, smartphone 245, and server farm 250. Inimplementations, the network interface 3020 can include communicationscircuitry for at least one of receiving data from a database 235 andtransmitting data to a remote server 240, 250. In some implementations,the network interface 3020 can communicate with a remote server over anyof the wired protocols previously described, including a WI-FIcommunications link based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

In some examples in accordance with FIG. 4, the network 230 may includeone or more communication networks through which the various autonomousrobots and computing devices illustrated in FIG. 4 may send, receive,and/or exchange data. In various implementations, the network 230 mayinclude a cellular communication network and/or a computer network. Insome examples, the network 230 includes and supports wireless networkand/or wired connections. For instance, in these examples, the network230 may support one or more networking standards such as GSM, CMDA, USB,BLUETOOTH®, CAN, ZigBee®, Wireless Ethernet, Ethernet, and TCP/IP, amongothers. In implementations, the network 230 can implement broadbandcellular technology (e.g., 2.5 G, 2.75 G, 3 G, 4 G, 5 G cellularstandards) and/or Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology or GSM/EDGE andUMTS/HSPA technologies for high-speed wireless communication.

Although the controller 3005 is described herein in particular, one ormore of the plurality of robots 2000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000of the process line 100 includes similar components having similarfunctionality.

Turning to FIG. 5, a schematic of an implementation of an autonomousseparating and sorting system 400 is shown. The system 400 includes oneor more of the features and devices described with regard to theembodiments of FIGS. 1-4. In implementations, the separating and sortingsystem 400 comprises a plurality of interactive autonomous roboticdevices. In implementations the system 400 comprises a separating andsorting device 3000 comprising at least three arms and a controller3005, an elevator 3350 for raising a box 3500 of dirty articles to aheight above the separating and sorting robot 3000, a box tippingassembly 3400 for receiving the box 3500 of dirty articles 12 from theelevator and overturning the bin into the separating and sorting robot3000, and a load constructor 3200 for collecting sorted and/or batcheddirty laundry articles exiting the separating and sorting robot 3000. Inimplementations, the controller 3005 is in wired or wireless operativecommunication with processors and drives of all of the foregoing. Eachautonomous device of the implementation of the system 400 of FIG. 5 willsubsequently be described with regard to implementations.

Turning now to FIGS. 6-11, an implementation of an autonomous sortingdevice 3000 (also alternatively referred to hereinafter as the “device,”“robotic device,” and “separating and sorting robot”) for separatingindividual dirty laundry articles of a plurality of deformable laundryarticles and sorting the individual deformable laundry article into binsfor washing. The plurality of deformable articles comprise one or moreloads of dirty household laundry. Because the one or more loads of dirtyhousehold laundry can comprise two or more article types of at least oneof different sizes, different shapes, different colors, and differentfabrics, the autonomous sorting device 3000 is configured to separateeach article from a pile, a bin, and/or a tangled clump of dirty laundryarticles and place each separated article 12 in a specific group ofarticles with matching washing and drying requirements. As will bedescribed subsequently with regard to implementations, the parametersfor specific groupings can be at least one of preset, dynamicallydetermined, and requested by a customer. The autonomous sorting device3000 thereby autonomously separates and sorts an unsorted mass of dirtylaundry into batches of dirty laundry articles for washing and drying.For example, the device 3000 can separate colored articles from whitearticles for separate batching, washing and drying, and the device 3000can separate and batch towels for separate washing and drying. Forexample, the device 3000 can separate and batch delicate articles forwashing and drying together or as individual articles, and the device3000 can identify and batch one or more stained articles requiringindividualized stain treatment.

In implementations, the device 3000 includes an enclosed channel 3100comprising a plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d and astationary floor 3110 extending between an inlet end “I” and an outletend “O” of the enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the stationaryfloor 3110 comprises a substantially level surface extending from theinlet end I to the outlet end O. Additionally or alternatively, thestationary floor 3110 comprises a substantially continuous surfaceextending throughout all of the plurality of sequential work volumes3105 a-d. In implementations, the enclosed channel 3100 is raised abovea ground floor and/or mezzanine platform. In implementations, theenclosed channel 3100 comprises the floor 3110, a ceiling 3111, and fourwalls 3112 a-d. (For illustrative purposes, the floor 3110, ceiling 3111and four walls 3112 a-d are shown as transparent in FIGS. 10-11.) Asdescribed later with regard to implementations of autonomouslyintroducing a plurality of deformable laundry articles 12 into theenclosed channel 3100, a portion 3110 a of the stationary floor 3110within a first work volume 3105 a of the plurality of sequential workvolumes 3105 a-d is configured to receive thereon the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n adjacent the inlet end I. In implementations,the device 3000 includes a plurality of arms 3115 a-c disposed in seriesalong the enclosed channel 3100, each one of the plurality of arms 3115a-c comprising an actuatable terminal gripper 3120 a-d configured toselectively grasp at least one of the plurality of deformable articles12 a-n and at least one drive motor 3125 a-c configured to at least oneof rotate, tilt, extend, and retract the terminal gripper 3120 a-c, eachof the plurality of arms 3115 a-d associated with a corresponding one ofthe plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d.

The device 3000 includes at least one selectively sealed in inletorifice 3130, 3130 a-b and an outlet orifice 3135. Additionally oralternatively, the outlet orifice 3135 is selectively sealed by anactuatable door or covering. Additionally or alternatively, the outletorifice 3135 is selectively sealed by an air curtain in operablecommunication with the controller 3005. The at least one inlet orifice3130, 3130 a-b is disposed in at least one of a wall or ceiling of theenclosed channel 3100, and the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-nare received into the enclosed channel 3100 through the inlet orifice3130, 3130 a-b. The outlet orifice 3135 is disposed adjacent the outletend O of the enclosed channel 3100 in at least one of a wall 3112 a-d ofthe enclosed channel and the stationary floor 3110. Each one of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n exits the enclosed channel 3100through the outlet orifice 3135. Selectively sealing the at least oneinlet orifice 3130, 3130 a-b and, in implementations, the outlet orifice3135, enables containment of loose personal items and other detritus anddebris that might accompany an individual household's laundry withoutcontaminating other devices and systems in the process line 100.Additionally, selectively sealing the inlet orifice 3130, 3130 a-b and,in implementations, the outlet orifice 3135, enables effective cleaningand disinfecting of the enclosed channel 3100, as will be describedsubsequently with regard to implementations.

As shown in FIGS. 10-11, the device 3000 comprises at least one sensor3140 a-d disposed at least one of on, adjacent to, and within each oneof the plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d. Inimplementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-d can include one ormore cameras disposed at least one of on, adjacent to, and within eachof the sequential work volumes. In implementations, adjacent to includesthe at least one sensor being disposed external to a transparent wall orwindow disposed in a wall 3112 a-d, floor 3110, and/or ceiling 3111 ofthe enclosed channel 3100. For example, in implementations, the at leastone sensor 3140 a-d comprises one or more cameras adhered to orpositioned adjacent plexiglass walls or windows with a field of viewtrained on the interior of the channel 3100. In implementations, the atleast one sensor is a camera, and the camera is calibrated to the floor3110 of the enclosed channel and one or more of the plurality of arms3115 a-d. The at least one sensor 3140 a-d is configured to detect atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n disposed withinan associated one of the plurality of sequential work volumes, andoutput a signal indicative of at least one of the presence and locationof the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-nrelative to the terminal gripper 3120 a-c of the one of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c associated the one of the plurality of sequential workvolumes 3105 a-d. In implementations, at least one camera 3140 d isdisposed adjacent the outlet end O and has a field of view encompassingthe outlet orifice 3135 for detecting passage of an article 12therethrough.

In implementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-d is a single cameracomprising a field of view encompassing the entire floor 3110 of theenclosed channel 3100. implementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-dcomprises two cameras comprising adjacent fields of view collectivelyencompassing the entire floor 3110 of the enclosed channel 3100. Inimplementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-d is three or morecameras comprising adjacent field of views collectively encompassing theentire floor 3110 of the enclosed channel 3100.

The device 3000 comprises a controller, such as controller 3005, that isin operable communication with the at least one drive motor 3125 a-c, anactuator 3174 a-c of each of the plurality of terminal grippers 3120,and the at least one sensor 3140 a-d of each one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes 3105 a-d. As will be described subsequently withregard to implementations, the controller 3005 is configured toorchestrate movements of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c within theenclosed channel 3100 and actuation of the associated terminal grippers3120 a-c to grasp, hoist, and move an initially grasped one or more ofthe plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n down the series of arms 3115a-b such that a single article 12 n is grasped by an arm 3115 c closestto the exit orifice 3135. The controller 3005 is configured to receive asignal from the at least one sensor 3140 a-c in an associated one of theplurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-c indicative of at least oneof the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n being disposed within theassociated one of the plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-c. Thecontroller 3005 is configured to determine a location of the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n on the stationaryfloor 3110 relative to the associated arm 3115 a-c, instruct the atleast one drive motor 3125 a-c to position the terminal gripper 3120 a-cof the associated arm 3115 a-c at the determined location to grasp theat least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n, andinstruct an actuator 3174 a-c of the terminal gripper 3120 a-c of theassociated arm 3115 a-c to close on and grasp the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n. The controller 3005 isconfigured to instruct the at least one drive motor 3125 a-c to raisethe closed terminal gripper 3120 a-c of the associated arm 3115 a-c andthe grasped at least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-nto a hoist height above the stationary floor, and rotate toward theoutlet end O into an adjacent work volume 3115 a-d. The controller 3005is configured to instruct the actuator of the terminal gripper to openthe gripper to release the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n in the adjacent work volume, and receive a signal fromat least one sensor 3140 a-d in the adjacent work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d. The controller 3005 isconfigured to determine, based on the received signal, at least one ofone or more of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n being presenton the stationary floor 3110, none of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n are present on the stationary floor 3110, and one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles 12 a-n exited the enclosedchannel through the outlet orifice 3135.

In implementations, such as those of FIGS. 6-9, the plurality ofsequential work volumes 3105 a-d comprises three or more work volumes,and each of the three or more arms are associated with one of the threeor more work volumes. In implementations, the outlet orifice 3135 isdisposed in a last work volume 3105 d of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes 3105 a-d, which is adjacent the outlet end O of theenclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the outlet orifice 3135 isdisposed in the stationary floor 3110 within or adjacent to a last ofthe plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-c and, inimplementations, is disposed in a terminal work volume 3135 d that isshorter in length than the preceding work volumes 31005 a-b. Inimplementations, the number of work volumes comprising the plurality ofsequential work volumes 3105 a-d is one greater than the number of theplurality of arms 3115 a-c and each of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c isassociated with a work volume directly adjacent at least one other workvolume associated with one of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c. Forexample, in FIGS. 6-11, each one of three arms 3115 a-c is associatedwith a corresponding one of three sequential work volumes 3105 a-c and afourth work volume 3105 d with no associated arm follows the third workvolume 3105 c. In implementations, an outlet-facing end of each of thethree or more work volumes overlaps with an inlet-facing end of anadjacent sequential one of the three or more work volumes such that eacharm of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c is configured to extend into oneor more adjacent work volumes of the plurality of sequential workvolumes 3105 a-c.

If the controller 3005 determines one or more of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n is present on the stationary floor 3110 inthe adjacent work volume into which the one or more articles wasdropped, the controller 3005 is further configured to iterativelyperform one or more grabs, rotations, and drops down the line ofsequential arms 3115 a-c and work volumes 3105 a-c. In implementations,upon determining the presence of one or more of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n, the controller 3005 is configured todetermine a location of the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n on the stationary floor 3110 relative to an armassociated with the adjacent work volume, and instruct the at least onedrive motor 3125 a-c of the arm associated with the adjacent work volumeto position the terminal gripper of the arm associated with the adjacentwork volume at the determined location to grasp the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n.

As will be described subsequently with regard to schematicimplementations, the controller 3005 is configured to instruct anactuator 3174 a-c of the terminal gripper 3120 of the arm 3115associated with the adjacent work volume 3105 to close on the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n, and instruct the atleast one drive 3125 a-c to raise the closed terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume and the grasped at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles to a hoist height H1 above thestationary floor, and move the gripper 3120 (e.g., at least one of pan,tilt, and extend, e.g., rotate) toward the outlet end O into the nextsequential adjacent work volume of the three or more work volumes 3115a-c. The controller 3005 is configured to instruct the actuator of theterminal gripper to open the gripper to release the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n in the next sequential adjacentwork volume down the line toward the outlet end O of the enclosedchannel 3100. As in the previous iteration, the controller 3005 isconfigured to receive a signal from at least one sensor 3140 a-n in thenext sequential adjacent work volume of the plurality of sequential workvolumes 3115 a-c, and determine, based on the received signal, at leastone of one or more of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n beingpresent on the stationary floor 3110, none of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n are present on the stationary floor 3110, andone of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n exited the enclosedchannel 3100 through the outlet orifice 3135.

Alternatively, in implementations, the rather than an engaged gripperreleasing each article 12 on the floor 3110 of an adjacent work volume3105 following a hoist, the gripper 3120 of an available arm 3115 in areceiving work volume 3105 can grip an edge of the article 12 (e.g., alowest hanging point), hoist the gripped edge to the hoist height andthe longest engaged gripper can release the article 12.

In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured to stop iteratingwhen each one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n in a loadof dirty articles exits the enclosed channel through the outlet orifice3135 as a solitary deformable article and no deformable articles remainin the enclosed channel 3100.

In implementations, as will be subsequently described with regard to anillustrative embodiment, the controller 3005 is further configured toinstruct two or more of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c to operatesimultaneously within each respective one of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes 3105 a-c. In implementations, terminal grippers 3120 a-c ofthe two or more of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c operatingsimultaneously are configured to simultaneously grasp at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles 12 a-b. For example, to determinean article is a large sized item, two or more arms of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c can simultaneously grasp the article and rotate apart tospread the article. The controller 3005 can be configured to estimate asize of the article 12 based on a distance separating the engagedterminal grippers 3120 a-c once tension is detected in the spreadarticle. Tension can be detected, for example, by one or more sensors incommunication the controller 3005 for detecting resistance to movementor by monitoring a motor current of the at least one drive motor 3125a-c of each arm engaged with the article.

As previously described with regard to FIGS. 10-11, the device 3000comprises at least one sensor 3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c disposed atleast one of on, adjacent to, and within each one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes 3105 a-d. In examples, the at least one sensorof each work volume of the plurality of work volumes 3105 a-d isconfigured to at least one of detect one of one or more features andcapture one or more images of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n disposed in at least one work volume 3105 ofthe enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the at least one sensor3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c comprises at least one of a 3-D camera, anIR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonar proximity sensor, anultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor (e.g., including Doppler radarand/or millimeter-wave radar), and a pair of stereo depth cameras. Inimplementations, at least one sensor outputs to the controller 3005 atleast one of a depth map, RGB images, and IR images. In implementationsthe at least one sensor 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c comprises aREALSENSE camera configured to output at least one of a depth map, RGBimages, and IR images. In implementations, the at least one sensor 3140a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c can be configured to output 3-D image data tothe controller 3005. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations,the at least one sensor 3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c can be configuredto output one or more 2-D images to the controller 3005. As previouslydescribed, in implementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-d, 3145a-c, 3147 a-c comprises a camera, and the camera is calibrated to thefloor 3110 of the enclosed channel 3100 and has a field of viewencompassing one or more of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c.

In implementations, the at least one sensor 3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-cis positioned at least one of on, adjacent to, and within an associatedone of the plurality of work volumes 3105 a-c such that the at least onesensor 3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c has an field of view encompassingthe stationary floor 3110 within the associated one of the plurality ofwork volumes 3105 a-d. In implementations, the at least one sensor 3140a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c comprises a field of view (FOV) encompassing theouter perimeter reachable by an associated one of the plurality of arms3115 a-c. In implementations, as shown in FIGS. 10-13, the at least onesensor 3140 a-d, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c is disposed outside the enclosedchannel 3100, above each of the plurality of sequential work volumes3105 a-c. As shown in FIG. 12 depicting a portion of the enclosedchannel 3100 comprising a first work volume 3105 a, the at least onesensor 3140 a can be disposed adjacent a transparent window 3141 a in aceiling 3111 of the enclosed channel 3100 and comprises a field of viewencompassing the stationary floor 3110 within the associated workvolume. Additionally or alternatively, as shown by way of example inFIG. 12, the at least one sensor can include at least one of at leastone upwardly angled sensor 3145 a and at least one transverse sensor3147 a disposed at least one of on, adjacent to, and within anassociated work volume 3105 a. The at least one upwardly angled sensor3145 a comprises a field of view encompassing the work volume above thefloor 3110 and is configured to detect an article 12 suspended by anassociated arm 3115 a-c above the floor 3110. In implementations, asshown FIGS. 12 and 13, the at least one upward angled sensor 3145 a andat least one transverse sensor 3147 a are disposed outside the enclosedchannel 3100, adjacent each of the plurality of sequential work volumes3105 a-c. In implementations, the at least one upwardly angled sensor3145 a and at least one transverse sensor 3147 a can be disposedrespectively adjacent a transparent window 3146 a on an arm side of theenclosed channel and a transparent window 3148 a on a side wall oppositethe arm wall. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, one ormore of the at least one transverse sensor 3147 a and at least oneupwardly angled sensor 3145 a can be disposed respectively adjacent atransparent window on an arm side of the enclosed channel and atransparent window on a side wall opposite the arm wall. Although theone or more sensors 3140 a, 3145 a, 3147 a are described with regard tothe first work volume 3105 a, in implementations, each work volume 3105a-d of the enclosed channel 3100 can comprise one or more of any of thesensors herein described by way of example with reference the first workvolume 3105 a.

As shown in the schematic end view of a working volume 3105 a in FIG. 13and the simplified end view showing only the floor 3110 of the enclosedchannel 3100 in FIG. 14, in implementations of the device 3000, the atleast one sensor comprises at least one sensor 3140 a at the ceilingaimed substantially downward at the stationary floor 3110, an upwardangled sensor 3145 a and a transverse sensor 3147 such that theoverlapping fields of view (FOVs) ϕ1-ϕ3 cover the entirety of the workvolume. Such implementations are particularly advantageous fordetermining whether and where any one of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n remains in the enclosed channel 3100 prior to concludingthe separating and sorting process on the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n and determining the channel 3100 is dormant and ready toreceive a subsequent load of dirty laundry into the enclosed channel forseparating and sorting. Alternatively, in implementations, a singlesensor of the one or more sensors 3140 a, 3145 a, 3147 a comprises afield of view configured to detect the entirety of one or more workvolumes 3105 a-c of the enclosed channel 3100.

In implementations, as shown in FIG. 14, determining a location of theat least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n on thestationary floor further comprises determining one or more grip points15 a-15 c on the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12a-n at which the gripper 3120 a will close on the article 12 a. Inimplementations, the one or more grip points 15 a-15 c are disposed on ahigh point (e.g., grip point 15 a) of the at least one deformablearticle 12 a of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n. The highpoint can be a highest point of one or more highest points on thearticle 12 a, the one or more highest points being raised higher thanother points on the article 12 a relative to the planar surface of thefloor 3110 beneath the article 12. Additionally or alternatively, inimplementations, one or more grip points 15 b-c are disposed on an edgeof the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n asdetermined by the controller 3005 based on signals received from the oneor more sensors 3140, 3145, 3147. In implementations, as will besubsequently described with regard to embodiments, the controller 3005is configured to receive or compute a mask of the article 12 a todetermine the edges of the article 12 (e.g., a continuous outline tracedin 2D around the outer periphery of the article 12 a on the floor 3110of the channel 3100) and the one or more grip points 12 b-c disposed onthe edge.

As previously described with regard to in implementations, the at leastone sensor 3140 a-c is a camera disposed at, on, or adjacent the ceiling3111 and/or walls 3112 a-d of the enclosed channel 3100. The camera iscalibrated to the distance of the stationary floor 3110 and configuredto detect a prominence of a deformable article 12 disposed on the floor3110. In implementations, as shown in FIGS. 10-11 and 14, the device3000 further comprises one or more light sources 3150 a-c in operablecommunication with the controller 3005. The one or more light sources3150 a-c can comprise at least one of adjustable brightness, intensity,and color. The one or more light sources 3150 a-c are configured toadjust lighting within the enclosed channel 3100 for improvingperception by the at least one sensor comprising at least one of the atleast one senor 3140 a-c disposed at, on, or adjacent the ceiling, anupward angled sensor 3145 a-c disposed at, or adjacent on of the walls3112 a-d, and a transverse sensor 3147 a-c disposed at, or adjacent onof the walls 3112 a-d as previously described with regard toimplementations. In implementations, one or more of the one or morelight sources 3150 a-c can be aimed directly or indirectly at the floor3110 from above or aside the floor 3110. In implementations, the one ormore light sources 3150 a-c are disposed adjected at least one of theceiling 3111, one or more walls 3112 a-d, and the floor 3110 at leastone of within the channel 3100 and external to the channel 3100 andadjacent one or more transparent or diffusive light permitting windows,such as one or more plexiglass windows sealed within the ceiling, walls,and/or floor such that clothing, dirt and debris, loose items, andcleaning fluid do not escape the channel 3100.

Turning now to FIGS. 15A-17B, a series of partial views of the device3000 are shown for exemplification. A floor 3110 of an enclosed channelis depicted along with a plurality of arms 3115 a-c as previouslydescribed and boundaries of associated work volumes 3105 a-b projectedon the floor 3110. As previously described, the controller 3005 isconfigured to orchestrate movements of the plurality of arms 3115 a-cwithin the enclosed channel 3100 and actuate the associated terminalgrippers 3120 a-c to grasp, hoist, and release which actuating the atleast one motor 3125 a-c of each arm 3115 a-c to pan, tilt and extendthe arm.

In implementations, as shown in FIG. 15A, the controller 3005 isconfigured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor (e.g., acamera 3140 a, 3145 a, 3147 a) disposed at or adjacent a first workvolume 3105 a. The signal is indicative of the at least one sensordetecting at least one article 12 a of a plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n being disposed within the first work volumes 3105 a.Because the first work volume 3105 a is configured to receive a load ofdirty laundry, the at least one article 12 a is, in most instances, amass of a plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n, when “n” indicatesthe maximum number of separate articles in a load of laundry. Theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n can be, for example, a pile ofnon-uniform dirty laundry and the articles comprising the pile of dirtylaundry can be overlapped, entangled, and otherwise stuck together orpiled atop one another. The controller 3005 is configured to determine alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles 12a-n on the stationary floor 3110 relative to the associated arm 3115 a(e.g., the first arm 3115 a of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c) of thefirst work volume 3105 a.

In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured to aim the gripper3120 a of the first arm 3115 a at the center of the area on the floor3110 occupied by the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n.Additionally or alternatively, as described with regard to FIG. 14, thecontroller 3005 is configured to aim the gripper 3120 a at one of one ormore highest points 15 a of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n.Additionally or alternative, the controller 3005 is configured todetermine a mask (e.g., mask 3800 of FIG. 46) an article 12 or theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n and edge points as previouslydescribed with regard to implementations, and instruct the gripper toaim to engage an article 12 at one of the determined one or more edgepoints 15 b-c. In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured toinstruct the gripper 3120 to aim to engage the article at one of thedetermined one or more edge points 15 b-c that is closest to the outletend O. In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured todetermine a mask 3800 of an article 12 a or a plurality of articles 12a-n disposed on the floor 3110, randomly select a point 15 a within thearea of the mask 3800, receive a depth signal from the one or moresensors (e.g., sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c), and instruct agripper 3120 to grab the article 12 at the depth sensed at the selectedgrip point 15 a even if that is not the highest point on the article 12.

As shown in FIG. 15B, the controller 3005 instructs at least one drive3125 a-c to position the terminal gripper 3120 a of the first arm 3115 aat the determined location to grasp the at least one article 12 a of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n by at least one of rotating,panning, and tilting the arm 3115 a and the associated terminal gripper3120 a to the target location. In implementations, the controller 3005receives a signal form the one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147a-c, determines a depth location of the target grip point 15, anddetermines a target height to which the arm 3115 will move the gripper,the target height being short distance (e.g., 1 cm-3 cm) directly abovethe target grip point 15. The arm 3115 then moves the gripper 3120 tothe target height above the target grip point 15, positioning the jointat the base of the spread gripper fingers 3107 a-b (FIGS. 39A-41A)adjacent the article 12 so that the fingers of the gripper 3120 do notpush the article 12 away and out of reach. In implementations, thecontroller 3005 is configured to thus position the gripper so that thefingers 3107 a-b of the gripper 3120 close on the target grip point 15as the arm 3115 is lifting the article 12 off the floor 3110.

With the gripper 3120 positioned at least one of on or directly abovethe location of the target grip point 15, the controller 3005 instructsan actuator 3174 a of the terminal gripper 3120 a to close the gripper3120 a on the at least one article 12 a of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations,after selecting the target point 15, the controller 3005 is configuredto instruct the one or more drive motors 3125 a-c to transit the gripper3120 to a target location above the determined grip point, then slowlymove down at a fraction of the transit speed (e.g. one half, one third,one quarter) in arriving at the target location. The controller 3005instructs the at least one drive motor 3125 a-c to press the gripper3120 into the article 12 and then retract to a distance at or around 2cm above the target location grip point while closing the fingers 3107a-b of the gripper 3120 around the grip point of the article 12. In thisway, the gripper 3120 is able to grasp small articles successfully,articles such as baby socks and children's gloves, for example, withoutdriving into them at full speed and potentially pushing them out ofreach of the gripper fingers 3107 a-b.

The controller 3005 is configured to instruct the at least one drive3125 a-c to raise the closed terminal gripper 3120 a and the grasped atleast one 12a of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n to a hoistheight H1 above the stationary floor 3110, leaving behind articles 12b-n in the received load, where “n” represents the maximum number ofseparable deformable articles in the received load of deformable laundryarticles. As will subsequently be described with regard toimplementations, the first gripper 3120 a nearest the inlet end I cangrasp more than one deformable article 12 a-n from the pile of dirtylaundry to hand off to the next arm 3115 b in an adjacent work volume3105 b. As will be described in detail, the plurality of arms 3115 a-coperate in sequence to grasp and release articles down the length of thechannel 3100 such that by the third grasp by the third arm 3115 c, themore than one initially grasped deformable articles are separated and asingle article 12 a is held aloft by the final arm 3115 c adjacent theoutlet O.

In implementations, the device 3000 can include one or more weightsensors disposed each of the plurality of arms 3115 s-c, the one or moreweight sensor being in operative communication with the controller 3005and being configured to continuously detect a rate of change as each oneof the plurality of deformable laundry articles is raised. Thecontroller 3005 can then determine that one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles is raised to a hoist height when the one ormore weight sensors detect an unchanging rate of change of measuredweight because the article is lifted completely off the floor 3110 andis no longer supported by the floor 3110, therefore imparting a maximumdownward force on the engaged arm 3115 a. Additionally or alternatively,the at least one sensor of at least one of a downward angled sensor 3140a-c, a transversely angled sensor 3145 a-c (e.g., having a field of viewaimed across the channel from one side wall 3112 c-d to another), and anupwardly angled sensor 3147 a-c, can detect a position of the terminalgripper above the floor 3110 and output a signal to the controllerindicative of this height position. Upon receiving the signal, thecontroller 3005 can then determine that the gripper 3120 a is at a hoistheight conducive for moving the article into an adjacent work volume3105 b for dropping there. Additionally or alternatively, one or moreencoders (e.g., motor encoders 3157 a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″, FIG. 5) outputs asignal to the controller 3005, and the controller 3005 determines ahoist height of the gripper 3120 engaged with the article 12 bydynamically processing (e.g., processing the one or more encoderssignals as the one or more motors 3125 a-c are moving the arm 3115) thesignal with a calibrated kinematics routine. In implementations, thehoist height is pre-set, and the controller 3005 uses calibratedkinematics to determine when the gripper reaches the pre-set hoistheight. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations the at leastone sensor 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c is configured to detect a gapbetween the hoisted article and the floor 3110, and output a signal tothe controller 3005 for dynamic processing to determine when an article12 is hoisted to a height at which a detectable gap (e.g., a region fromwhich the detectable article is no longer sensed across the width of thechannel 3100) appears between the hoisted article and the floor 3110. Inimplementations, the at least one sensor 3147 a-c comprises a transversefield of view for dynamically detecting the appearance of a gap beneaththe article 12 and above the floor 3110.

As shown in FIG. 16A, the controller 3005 instructs the at least onedrive motor 3125 a-c to at least pan the arm 3115 a, gripper 3120 a, andhoisted article 12 a in the direction D toward the outlet end O of thechannel 3100 and into an adjacent work volume 3105 b. Additional, thecontroller 3005 can tilt and extend the first arm 3115 a such that theterminal gripper 3120 a is positioned within the second work volume 3105b accessible by the second arm 3115 b. As shown in FIG. 16B, thecontroller 3005 is configured to instruct the actuator 3174 b of theterminal gripper 3120 a to open and release the article 12 a in theadjacent work volume 3105 b. The controller 3005 receives a signal fromat least one sensor (of at least one of a downward angled sensor 3140 b,a transversely angled sensor 3145 b, and an upwardly angled sensor 3147b) in the adjacent work volume 3105 b and determines, based on thereceived signal, that the at least one deformable article 12 a ispresent on the stationary floor 3110. Similar to the first arm 3115 a,the second arm 3115 b is configured to grasp the deformable article 12 afrom the stationary floor 3110 within the associated second work volume3105 b, rotate in the direction D toward the outlet end O of the channel3100 and release the deformable article in the third work volume 3105 c,as shown in FIG. 17A.

In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured to determinewhether a terminal gripper 3120 a-c missed grasping the article prior tohoisting to the hoist height H1. For example, after the first arm 3115 ahas hoisted, rotated, and opened the terminal gripper 3120 a in a secondwork volume 3105 b, the controller 3005 of the device 3000 can determinethat the article is not present on the floor 3110 within the second workvolume based on one or more sensor signals from the at least one sensor3140 a-c. The controller 3005 can then at least one of query and receivea signal from the at least one sensor 3140 a in the first work volume3105 a and determine a location of the deformable article on the floor3110 within the first work volume 3105 a. The controller 3005 can thenrepeat the instructions of positioning the terminal gripper 3120 a ofthe first arm 3115 a at the determined location to grasp the at leastone article 12 a of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n,grasping, raising, rotating, and releasing the article in the secondwork volume 3105 b.

In implementations, as will be described subsequently with regard to themethod of operation, the controller 3005 can execute a miss recoveryroutine. In implementations, the miss recovery routine comprises movingthe target grip point 15 inward from an edge by a distance in a range ofbetween about 10-20 mm (e.g., 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 m, 14 mm, 15 mm,16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, 20 mm) in a direction toward the inlet end Iwith each subsequent attempt after a missed grab. Additionally oralternatively, in implementations, the controller 3005 can determine acenter of mass of the mask of the at least one article 12 a on the floor3110 and move the targeted grip point 15 the toward the center of masswith each subsequent attempt after a missed grab. Alternatively, inimplementations, the controller 3005 is configured to move the targetgrip point 15 to some other location within the area of the garment mask(e.g., mask 3800).

In implementations, the controller 3005 selects the alternate grip pointlocations randomly, or by iterating attempted grasps at alternatelocations in a deterministic manner. This ensures that the gripper 3120will find a graspable portion of the article 12, accounting for anyspacing between extensions and the core of a garment, such as betweensleeves and the torso portions of a shirt, which may place a center ofmass in an open location not occupied by the article 12. Additionally oralternatively, in implementations, the controller 3005 is configured tocreate a bounding box 3805 around the mask 3800 of the article 12 asshown in FIG. 46, the bounding box comprising a length LB and a width WBthat places the mask 3800 inside the bounding box 3805. The controller3005 is configured to choose a random point as the target grip point 15based on the length LB and width WB of the bounding box, determinewhether the grip point 15 is within the mask (e.g., grip point 15 b) andnot just within in the bounding box (e.g., 15 a), and instruct a gripper3120 to grasp the grip point 15 b within the mask area corresponding tothe location of the article 12. If the grip point was not within themask 3800, the controller 3005 randomly selects a new target grip pointwith the bounding box 3805 and iteratively continues randomly selectingtarget grip points until a target point is within both the bounding box3805 and the mask 3800. The randomness of determining a grip point 15within the bounding box 3805 accounts for the difference in size betweenan end effector in software path planning (e.g., a single point) and thevolume of the gripper 3120, which is a 3D element and not a singlepoint, and results in successful grabs of the article 12 regardless ofarticle size. This enables a gripper 3120 to grab very small items suchas baby socks, for example. By comparison, targeting a center of masscould result in the joint at the base of the fingers of the gripper 3120touching the floor 3110 of the channel 3100 and not reaching thearticle, even though the center of the gripper 3120 was directly abovethe given target point, such as an edge point of the small article or apoint moved inward from an edge point toward a center of mass.

Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, after selecting thetarget grip point within the bounding box, the controller 3005 isconfigured to instruct the one or more drive motors 3125 a-c to transitthe gripper 3120 to a target location above the determined grip point,then slowly move down at a fraction of the transit speed in arriving atthe target location. The controller 3005 instructs the at least onedrive motor 3125 a-c to press the gripper 3120 into the article and thenretract to a distance at or around 2 cm while closing the fingers 3107a-b of the gripper 3120 around the grip point of the article. In thisway, the gripper 3120 is able to grasp small articles successfully,articles such as baby socks and children's gloves, for example, withoutdriving into them and potentially pushing them out of reach.

Each of the subsequent arms in the plurality of sequential arms 3115 a-csimilarly performs a grasp, rotation, and drop down the line ofsequential arms 3115 a-c and work volumes 3105 a-c from the inlet end Ito the outlet end O of the channel 3100. By performing sequentialgrasps, rotations, and drops the device 3000 increases the likelihoodthat each subsequent grasp will result in the terminal gripper 3120 ofan arm 3115 retaining only a single article 12 in the final work volume3105 d for dropping through the outlet orifice 3135. By separating theload of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n into singlearticles, the device 3000 is able to sort each one of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n into a receiving bin 3202 configured toreceive a single load of laundry having one or more commoncharacteristics for improved washing and drying. Each article of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n can be independently detected bythe at least one sensor (at least one of a downward angled sensor 3140a-c, a transversely angled sensor 3145 a-c, and an upwardly angledsensor 3147 a-c), and the controller 3005 can determine one or morecharacteristics for batching the article into an associated bin 3202a-n. As shown in FIG. 17B, a single article 12 a of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12 a-n exits the channel 3100 at the outlet orifice3135 to be received by a bin 3202 therebeneath.

Also as shown in FIG. 17B, one or more arms of the plurality of arms3115 a-c can operate simultaneously. For example, a third arm 3115 c candrop an article 12 a through the outlet orifice 3135 into a bin 3202while a first arm 3115 a is rotating into the second work volume 3105 bwith a hoisted one or more articles 12 b-c in its terminal gripper 3120a, leaving behind the remaining plurality of deformable articles 12 d-non the floor 3110 at a load intake position. The first arm 3115 b willdrop the articles 12 b-c from its terminal gripper 3120 a onto the floor3110 in the second work volume 3105 b and the terminal gripper 3120 b ofthe second arm 3115 b is likely to grasp only one of the two deformablearticles 12 b-c dropped. Additionally or alternatively, inimplementations, the controller 3005 is further configured to drive theat least one drive motor 3125 a-c of an arm 3115 of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c in at least one of alternating side-to-side andalternating up and down motions to shake a grasped deformable article 12of the plurality of deformable articles at the hoist height H1. Byshaking the terminal gripper 3120 at the hoist height, the arm 3115 canfree any articles that may be stuck together, e.g., statically attractedor entangled. This shaking and/or snapping motion will separate twoarticles hoisted together when only a single article 12 is grasped. Thishelps prevent two articles 12 from being delivered to a next work volume3150 b-c and therefore helps ensure that only a single article 12 isgrasped by the gripper 3120 c of the final arm 3115 c in thesequentially placed plurality of arms 3115 a-c.

In implementations, as shown in FIG. 18, the controller 3005 is furtherconfigured to determine whether a work volume is clear of any articlesbefore an arm drops another article into that work volume. For example,an article 12 b can remain in the third work volume 3105 c while asecond arm 3115 b waits for the third arm 5115 c to finish cleaning thethird work volume 5105 c before releasing another article 12 c into thethird work volume 3105 c. This prevents piling up more than one articlein the third work volume 3105 c and further ensures that only a single,separated article will be released through the outlet orifice 3135.Table 1 describes an implementation of a decision matrix executed by thecontroller 3005 based on sensor input for determining whether a workvolume 3105, 3105 a-c is clear of any articles 12, 12 a-n beforedropping another article into that work volume:

TABLE 1 Population count Work volume at and in contact floor availablewith gripper to receive new above floor Floor mask article? MeaningArticle detected Empty Yes Grab successful Article detected Articledetected No Maybe multiple articles grabbed, maybe large article grabbedEmpty Empty Yes Grab successful, small article Empty Article detected NoMissed grab/dropped article, or successful small article grab butmultiple articles on floor 3110

In this implementation, after an arm performs an article 12 hoist, thecontroller 3005 will evaluate a population count of an output sensorsignal (e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c) todetermine whether an article is detected in an area under the engagedarm 3115. In implementations, the population count comprises the numberof points in a point cloud, and the points comprise at least one ofpoints that have been voxelized and points that have not been voxelized.Alternatively, in implementations, determining a population countindicative of a successful hoist comprises the controller 3005identifying correlated points between 3D points in a depth map with RGBpixels in an RGB image of the hoisted article based on the output signalof one or more sensors (e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c,3147 a-c). This implementation of determining population count can alsobe used by the controller 3005 for classifying an article at the lasthoist above the outlet orifice 3135 before dropping the article into abin based on at least one of a detected article size and color.

If the population count is detected as large (e.g., at or above athreshold value indicative of an article 12 being detected), thecontroller 3005 determines that the arm 3115 and gripper 3120 grabbedand hoisted at least one article 12. If the population count is below athreshold value, the controller 3005 determines that the grab missedgrasping an article, in which case the article is still on the floor3110, or the article wasn't missed but is smaller than a thresholdpopulation count, e.g., a sock. The controller 3005 determines whetheran article is on the floor by evaluation the mask 3800. If the maskprocessing indicates an empty floor, the controller 3005 determines thegrab was successful and the article 12 in the gripper 3120 is small,therefore the floor beneath that arm is available for receiving a newarticle. If the controller 3005 analyzes the mask and determines thefloor is not empty (e.g., an article 12 is detected on the floor 3110),the controller 3005 determines the floor 3110 is not available forreceiving another article. In this instance when an article is detectedin the gripper and on the floor 3110, either more than one article 12a-n had been deposited on the floor 3110 in the work volume 3105 and onearticle was hoisted and another left behind on the floor 3110, or thearticle in the hoisted gripper is large and extends down onto the floor3110.

If the population count is below a threshold value and the floor maskdoes not indicate an article being present on the floor 3110, the floor3110 is available to receive an article. This condition can indicatethat the grab was successful, and the item hoisted is small (e.g., belowa population count threshold). If the population count is below athreshold value and the floor mask indicates an article being present onthe floor 3110, the work volume is not available for receiving anotherarticle. This condition indicates either a missed or dropped article orthat a small item was successfully grabbed but another article remainson the floor 3110.

Additionally or alternatively to the above described conditions, inimplementations, the controller 3005 is configured to account forshadows. For example, if an article is supposedly detected on the floor3110 of the work volume 3105 a of a hoisted arm 3115 a, but the arm 3115b corresponding to the next sequential work volume 3105 b is stowed, thecontroller 3005 determines the detected article is a shadow of thehoisted article 12 the engaged arm 3115 is waiting to move to theadjacent work volume 3105 b. The controller 3005 can assume this is ashadow and not an article because the arm 3115 for the adjacent workvolume 3105 b would have tried to pick up the article 12 and would be ina hoisted position.

In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured to stop iteratingthe sequential grasps, hoists, rotations, and drops when each one of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n exits the enclosed channel 3100through the outlet orifice 3135 as a solitary deformable article and nodeformable articles remain in the enclosed channel 3100 as detected bythe one or more sensors (e.g., at least one of one or more downwardangled sensors 3140 a-c, one or more transversely angled sensors 3145a-c, and one or more upwardly angled sensors 3147 a-c). As will besubsequently described, the controller 3005 is configured to determinethat the enclosed channel 3100 is clear of any deformable articlesbefore accepting a new load of dirty laundry (e.g., a new pile ofdeformable articles 12 a′-n′) onto the stationary floor 3110 adjacentthe intake end I.

Although the above implementations describe each of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c rotating a grasped article 12 into an adjacent work volumeand the associated terminal gripper 3120 a-c releasing the article ontothe floor 3110 in in the adjacent work volume, additionally oralternatively, in implementations, one or more of the terminal grippers3120 a-c of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c can simultaneously grasp atleast one article 12 a of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n ata hoist height H1 without releasing the article onto the floor 3110 sothat the article 12 a is spread out. For example, as shown in FIGS.19-21, the controller 3005 can determine one or more grip points 15 a-fon a deformable article 12 a hoisted by a second arm 3115 b. Inimplementations, the one or more grip points 15 a are disposed on anedge 16 of the deformable article 12 a. The controller 3005 can instructa terminal gripper 3120 c of a third arm 3115 c in a work volume 3105 cadjacent the second work volume 3105 b to grip one of the one or moregrip points 15 a-f. For example, the terminal gripper 3120 c of thethird arm 3115 c can grip the lowest grip point 15 d on the article 12as shown in FIG. 19. As shown in FIG. 20, the third arm 3115 c can thenraise the grasped grip point 15 d of the article 12 a to the hoistheight H1 while the terminal gripper 3120 b of the second arm 3115 b isstill engaged with the article 12 a at the hoist height H1.

As shown in FIG. 21, one or more of the engaged second arm 3115 b andengaged third arm 3115 c can rotate away from the other to spread thearticle 12 a to an uncrumpled state, stopping for example when aresistance sensor in communication with the controller 3005 detectsresistance indicative of the article 12 a being spread. The secondterminal gripper 3120 b can then release the article 12 a leaving onlythe third gripper 3120 c holding the article 12 a at the hoist heightH1. In this way, the plurality of grippers 3115 a-c continually pass thearticle 12 between mid-air grasps and by the final grasp, the article isa single article ready for exiting and sorting into a collection bin3202 for washing. Additionally, in implementations, the controller 3005can determine whether an article is a large sized item while two or morearms of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c simultaneously grasp the articleand rotate apart to spread the article to at least a threshold length.The controller 3005 can be configured to estimate a size of the article12 a based on a distance W separating the engaged terminal grippers 3120a-c once tension is detected in the spread article 12 a. Tension can bedetected, for example, by one or more sensors in communication thecontroller 3005 for detecting resistance to movement or by monitoring amotor current of the at least one drive motor 3125 a-c of each armengaged with the article 12 a. The controller 3005 can access a memory3010, 210, 235, 240, 250 in wired or wireless communication with thecontroller 3005, for example via a communication network 230, and crossreference the determined distance W with a database of article sizeclassifications. The determination of a size classification can informwhich collection bin 3002 will receive the article 12 a, as will bedescribed subsequently with regard to implementations.

Although FIGS. 14-22 show the plurality of arms 3115 a-c and floor 3110of the channel 3100 absent the remaining enclosure walls 3112 a-d forexemplary purposes, in implementations, the enclosed channel 3100 isfully enclosed on all sides including at the inlet end I and outlet endO. Additionally, in implementations, as shown in FIGS. 6-7, a lowerportion 3113 of the channel side wall along the arms (e.g., arm wall3112 c of FIG. 6) can be angled inward toward the lower edge meeting thefloor 3110 such that any of the plurality of deformable articles 12 a-nfalling too close to the arm wall 3112 c during a drop will slide downunder the force of gravity onto the floor 3110, within reach of one ormore of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c. Also as will be subsequentlydescribed in further detail with regard to implementations, the inletorifice 3130 a-b and outlet orifice 3135 each comprise an actuatedcovering for selectively exposing and sealing each of the orifices, thecontroller 3005 being in operative communication with the actuator ofeach covering for sealing and uncovering the openings of the enclosedchannel 3100 only when required to receive a load of deformable articles12 a-n through the inlet orifice 3130 a-b into the channel 3100 and toallow a separated one of the deformable articles 12 to exit the channel3100 through the exit orifice 3135. By selectively sealing anduncovering the openings 3140 a-b, 3135, the device 3000 contains thedirty load of deformable articles 12 a-n and any loose items (e.g.,buttons, hair ties, pocket change, pens) dirt, debris, and otherbiological matter that may be on the deformable articles 12 a-n. Thisprevents the loss of personal items and the spread of dirt, debris, andpotentially harmful matter from spreading throughout the process line100, particularly to clean loads of deformable articles being processedby other robots of the process line 100. The channel 3100 can beautonomously sealed for autonomous cleaning and sanitization betweenloads of laundry and any lose articles can be autonomously collected forreturn to the customer in one or more customer containers or boxes.

Turning to FIGS. 23-24C, in implementations, the inlet orifice 3130 a isdisposed in a ceiling 3111 of the enclosed channel, adjacent the inletend I such that a plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n receivedtherethrough lands upon the floor 3110 of the channel adjacent a firstarm of a plurality of arms 3115 a-c disposed sequentially along thelength of the channel 3100. The inlet orifice 3130 a is selectivelysealed by a slidable door 3131 configured to be drawn away from theinlet orifice 3130 a when a load of deformable articles is ready forplacement into the enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the door3131 comprises one or more pair of rollers 3305 a-b, 3307 a-b, 3308 a-bconfigured to slide along a pair of rails 3310 a-b disposed therebetweensuch that the door 3131 moves up and back at a slight incline in thedirection of arrow S. In implementations, the rollers 3305 a-b, 3307a-b, 3308 a-b are spring loaded bearing rollers, and the pair of rails3310 a-b are mounted astride the inlet orifice 3130 a. For example, inimplementations, the door 3131 can raise up in a range of about 10-15mm. In implementations, the door 3131 is mounted on one end to a springloaded hinge 3315 that pulls the door 3131 up an inclined pair of rails3310 a-b having a total rise of about 12 mm. Implementations of the door3131 being a sliding door provides the benefits of a fast opening andclosure to minimize the time the inlet orifice 3130 a is exposed. Thisprevents exposing other robots in the process line 100, 100 a-c topotential dirt, debris, biohazardous substances, and other contaminantsand detritus that might escape from a sealed box of one or more dirtyarticles 12, 12 a-n.

In implementations, the sliding trap door 3131 is actuated by a drivemotor 3320 in operable communication with the controller 3005 forselectively sealing and exposing the inlet orifice 3130 a on demand. Thedrive motor 3320 can be configured to rotate a movable track 3325 towhich the spring loaded hinge 3315 is attached. In implementations, thedrive motor 3320 can be a low profile linear drive that enables thetrapdoor assembly 3300 to have a low profile atop the enclosed channel3100. As will be subsequently described, the low profile enables a boxtipping assembly 3400 to be mounted in close proximity with the inletorifice 3130 a thereby minimizing or eliminating exposure of the boxcontents (e.g., one or more dirty articles 12, 12 a-n) to the exteriorand surrounding environment external to the enclosed channel 3100. Thisprevents the load of one or more deformable articles 12, 12 a-n thereinand any dirt, detritus, debris, and/or biological matter from fallingoutside the enclosed channel 3100. As will be described subsequentlywith regard to implementations, the box tipping assembly is designed toavoid contamination of the process line 100 at large and the exterior ofthe enclosed channel 3100 in particular by dirty laundry (e.g., one ormore dirty articles 12, 12 a-n). Only the cleanable interior surfaces ofthe enclosed channel 3100 are touched by dirty laundry released from acustomer box.

As shown in FIGS. 25-27, upon alignment of a sealed box 3500 containingthe plurality deformable articles above the inlet orifice 3130 a, thecontroller 3005 actuates the inlet door 3131 to reveal the inlet orifice3130 a before emptying the contents of the aligned box 3500 into theenclosed channel 3100. In implementations, a box 3500 containing aplurality of dirty deformable articles 12 a-n from a single customer(e.g., household) is autonomously queued to a first position A adjacentthe inlet orifice 3130 a, for example on a conveyor and/or flow rack3405. When the enclosed channel 3100 is ready to being a separation andsorting processing, the controller 3005 instructs a pair of rotatableclamps 3410 a-b to engage the box 3500. The box 3500 then moves along apair of rails 3415 a-b in a direction from the first position A to thesecond position B (as indicated by arrow T) directly above the inletorifice 3130. In implementations, the controller 3005 is configured tosimultaneously instruct a drive to advance the box 3500 to the secondposition B while opening the door 3131 to expose the orifice 3130 a.Alternatively, the controller 3005 instructs a conveyor drive 3445 (FIG.5) to advance the box 3500 to the second position B and instructs thedrive motor 3320 of the trap door 3131 to open the door 3131 once thebox 3500 is positioned above the door 3131. In implementations, as shownin FIGS. 25-27, the box tipping assembly 3400 comprises a cam followerand bidirectional gear engagement assembly 3420 configured to rotate thebox 3500 to an inverted position for dropping the plurality ofdeformable articles onto the stationary floor 3110 of the enclosedchannel 3100. In implementations, the gear engages a rack for rotatingthe box 3500 such that a lid 3505 flips open into the orifice 3130 a andcontents fall into the enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, thelid 3505 is a hinged lid configured to open into the inlet orifice 3130a upon rotation of the box 3500 to an inverted position. Inimplementations, the box 3500 is rotated with the lid 3505 hinged at theleading edge of rotation such that the lid 3505 blocks any deformablearticles from falling anywhere other than into the inlet orifice 3130 a.

Turning to the system schematic of FIG. 5, the box tipping assembly 3400comprises a processor 4705 in wired or wireless communication with thecontroller 4005 via a network interface 4735. The box tipping assembly3400 comprises a driven conveyor 3405 driven by a conveyor drive 3345 inoperable communication with a reversible conveyor motor (not shown). Thedriven conveyor 3405 is configured to receive a full box 3500 into thebox tipping assembly 3400 and eject the righted box 3500 once emptied.In implementations, the driven conveyor 3405 further comprises anincremental shaft encoder 3455 on the conveyor motor configured torotate the driven conveyor 3405 by a measurable amount to move a box3500 into a clamping position, position B. Additionally oralternatively, the conveyor 3405 comprises at least one position sensor3450 configured to detect a position of a box 3500 within the boxtipping assembly 3400 and transmit a signal to the processor 3430 of thebox tipping assembly 3400 to actuate the pair of rotatable clamps 3410a-b to retain the box 3500 for tipping. In implementations, the positionsensor 3450 comprises at least one of one or more non-contactingelectromagnetic switches (e.g., Hall effect sensors), one or moremechanical limit switches, one or more photoelectric proximity switches(e.g., break beams), one or more inductive sensors, and one or more timeof flight distance sensors configured to detect the presence of theposition of the clamped box 3500 along the pair of rails 3415 a-b andoutput a signal to the conveyor drive 3445 to stop moving the conveyor3405. The box tipping assembly 3400 further comprises a tipper drive3440 in operable communication with a tipper motor configured to rotateat least one of the pair of rotatable clamps 3410 a-b to invert a box3500 clamped therein. In implementations an incremental shaft encoder isdisposed on the drive motor shaft of the tipper motor for detecting arotational position of the pair of rotatable clamps 3410 a-b.Additionally, in implementations, the box tipping assembly 3400comprises one or more limit switches configured to detect at least oneof the pair of rotatable clamps 3410 a-b being upturned and the pair ofrotatable clamps 3410 a-b being inverted.

Additionally, in implementations, as shown in FIG. 28 an elevator 3350can raise a closed and/or sealed box 3500 to a conveyor and/or flow rack3405 of the box tipping assembly 3400 and transfer the box 3500 to thebox tipping assembly 3400 for emptying into the enclosed channel 3100.As shown in FIGS. 5 and 28, in implementations, the elevator 3350 isdisposed adjacent the enclosed channel 3100 and comprises one or moreload sensors 3359, such as one or more undermounted loadcells, fordetecting a box 3500 received thereon for elevating to the inlet orifice3130 a. In implementations, the elevator 3350 comprises a driven rollerconveyor 3380 for receiving the box 3500 thereon from the separating andsorting robot 3000. The roller conveyor 3380 is movably attached to oneor more vertical risers 3390 a-b and driven up and down the verticalrisers by a drive motor 3385 and puller system 3392 that includes acounterweight 3394.

As shown in the system schematic of FIG. 5, in implementations, theelevator 3350 comprises a processor 3355 in wired or wirelesscommunication with the controller 4005 via a network interface 3370. Theelevator 3350 comprises an elevator drive 4415 in operable communicationwith a pulley system drive motor 4465 and a conveyor drive 3365 inoperable communication with a reversible conveyor motor 3385 configuredto receive a full box 3500 for elevating and an emptied box 3500 forlowering. In implementations, the elevator 3350 further comprises a loadsensor 3359 for detecting the presence of a box 3500 on the conveyor3380 and a position sensor configured to detect alignment of theconveyor 3380 with the conveyor and/or flow rack 3405 of the box tippingassembly 3400. Additionally or alternatively, the conveyor 3380comprises at least one position sensor 3375 configured to detect aposition of a box 3500 on the conveyor 3380 and transmit a signal to theprocessor 3355 of the elevator 3350 to actuate the drive motor 3385 toraise the box 3500 for transferring to the box tipping assembly 3400. Inimplementations, the position sensor 3375 comprises at least one of oneor more non-contacting electromagnetic switches (e.g., Hall effectsensors), one or more mechanical limit switches, one or morephotoelectric proximity switches (e.g., break beams), one or moreinductive sensors, and one or more time of flight distance sensorsconfigured to detect the presence of the position of the clamped box3500 along the conveyor 3380 as the box 3500 is being received thereonand output a signal to the conveyor drive 3367 to stop moving theconveyor 3380.

Although the inlet orifice 3130 a is describe as a selectively exposedorifice in the ceiling 3111 of the enclosed channel 3100 configured toreceive a plurality of deformable articles from a box 3500 disposedabove the orifice 3130 a, other intake assemblies and methods arecontemplated. As shown in FIGS. 29A-E, alternate methods of introducinga plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n into the enclosed channel 31comprises sucking the close in through a flexible tube 3425 incommunication with a vacuum 3430 (FIG. 29A), and inserting the box 3500into the enclosed channel 3100 through a side opening 3130 b (see FIG.7) and pulling the deformable articles from the box 3500. For example,FIG. 28B shows a box 3500 inserted into the enclosed channel 3100 andopened to a lay-flat stay, exposing the one or more deformable articles12 a-n within the channel 3100 only once the inlet orifice is sealed,thereby containing all dirt and other potential contaminants within thewashable channel 3100. In implementations, as shown in FIG. 29C, insteadof having side walls the unfold to lay flat, a box 3500 comprises aremovable or hinged lid and a gripper 3435 of an extendable arm islowered into the box to remove one or more deformable articles thereinonce the box is received within the enclosed channel 3100. Inimplementations, as depicted in FIG. 29D, a sliding drawer or extendableconveyor tongue can deliver a box 3500 through a side orifice 3130 ainto the channel 3100. In implementations, as shown in FIG. 29E, a wallin which the orifice 3130 a is disposed comprises an angled base forslidably receiving a box 3500 thereon in a tipped orientation for easyaccessibility by an arm 3115 a in the first work volume of the enclosedchannel 3100.

In implementations as shown in FIGS. 30A-C and 31, the box tippingassembly 3400′ comprises a framed tumbler 3467 positioned above an inletorifice 3130 b in the ceiling of the channel 3100. After clamping thebox 3500 within the tumbler, a drive motor 3468 of the tumbler 3467 canrotate the clamped box 3500 on command from the controller 3005 toinvert the box 3500 and dump the one or more deformable articles 12 a-nthrough the frame 3465 and into the inlet orifice 3130 a of the channel3100. As described previously with regard to implementations, the box3500 can be sealed with a selectively removable lid, such as a hingedlid (not shown) that opens under gravitational force as the box 3500 isinverted. In implementations, the box tipping assembly 3400′ comprises aframe 3465 and suspension elements 3470 a-d, 3470 a′-d′ disposed thereonconfigured to rotatably engage a tumbler 3467 configured to receive abox 3500 containing one or more deformable articles 12 a-n. Inimplementations, the device 3000 comprises an autonomous conveyor (notshown) configured to transit the box 3500 from a rack or storage area toat least one of the box tipping assembly 3400′ and, as shown in FIG. 28,an elevator 3350 configured to receive the box 3500 and raise the box3500 to a height of the box tipping assembly 3400′ for conveyance intothe tumbler 3467.

As shown in the exploded view of FIG. 32, in implementations, thetumbler 3467 further comprises a conveyor 3475 on which the box 3500slides into the tumbler 3467 to be held by one or more selectivelyactuated clamps 3477. In implementations the one or more selectivelyactuated clamps 3477 comprise a pneumatically operated clamp in operablecommunication with the controller 3005. In implementations, the conveyor3475 comprises a plurality of driven rollers 3476. As shown insequential depiction in FIGS. 30A-C, with the box 3500 clamped into thetumbler 3467, the controller 3005 rotates the tumbler 3467 seated on aplurality of guide wheels 3472 a-d, 3472 a′-d′ affixed to the suspensionelements 3470 a-d, 3470 a′-d′ thereby flipping the box 3500 upside downwith its opening facing the inlet orifice 3130 a′ therebeneath. Once thecontroller 3005 receives a signal that a selectively removable cover ofthe inlet orifice 3130 a is removed thereby exposing the orifice 3130 a,the controller 3005 signals the box tipping assembly 3400′ to rotate anddrop the one or more deformable articles 12 a-n from the box 3500through the orifice 3130. The tumbler 3467, frame 3465, and suspensionelements 3470 a-d, 3470 a′-d′ are designed so that deformable articles12 being tipped from the box in do not touch any of the tumbler 3467,frame 3465, and suspension elements 3470 a-d, 3470 a′-d′ therebyavoiding being caught in theses structural and moving components andavoiding potential contamination and subsequent cleaning requirements.

As described previously with regard to implementations, as shown in thesystem schematic of FIG. 5 and FIGS. 30A-31, the box tipping assembly3400′ comprises a processor 3430 in wired or wireless communication withthe controller 3005 via a network interface 3437. The box tippingassembly 3400′ comprises a conveyor drive 3445 in operable communicationwith a reversible conveyor motor 3468 configured to receive a full box3500 into the tumbler 3467 and eject the box 3500 once emptied. Inimplementations, the conveyor 3475 further comprises an incrementalshaft encoder 3474 on the conveyor motor 3473 configured to rotate theconveyor rollers 3476 by a measurable amount to move a box 3500 into aclamping positioning within the tumbler 3467. Additionally oralternatively, the conveyor 3475 comprises at least one position sensor3450 configured to detect a position of a box 3500 within the tumbler3467 and transmit a signal to the processor 3430 of the box tippingassembly 3400′ to actuate the clamp 3477 to retain the box 3500 fortipping. In implementations, the position sensor 3450 comprises at leastone of one or more non-contacting electromagnetic switches (e.g., Halleffect sensors), one or more mechanical limit switches, one or morephotoelectric proximity switches (e.g., break beams), and one or moreinductive sensors, and output a signal to the drive motor 3437 to stopmoving the rollers 3476. The box tipping assembly 3400′ furthercomprises a tipper drive 3440 in operable communication with a tumblermotor 3468 configured to rotate the tumbler 3467 to invert a box 3500clamped therein. In implementations an incremental shaft encoder 3455 isdisposed on the drive motor shaft of the tumbler motor 3468 fordetecting a rotational position of the tumbler 3467. Additionally, inimplementations, the box tipping assembly 3400′ comprises one or morelimit switches configured to detect at least one of the tumbler 3467being upturned and the tumbler 3467 being inverted.

Turning now to the outlet end O of the enclosed channel, the outletorifice 3135 is configured to receive individually sorted articlestherethrough for batching into sorted loads of laundry for washing. Inimplementations, such as that of FIG. 17B, the device 3000 comprises anactuated outlet door 3137 in operable communication with the controller3005. In implementations, the outlet door 3137 can be similar in designand function to the inlet orifice door 3131. In implementations, theoutlet door can be a hinged door. In implementations, the outlet doorcomprises a two-piece trap door. The controller 3005 can be configuredto receive a signal from the at least one sensor 3140 a-c indicative ofthe presence of a deformable article 12 positioned over the outletorifice 3135 and actuate the outlet door 3137 to expose the outletorifice 3135 on demand. By actuating the door 3137 on a just-in-timebasis, the controller 3005 maintains the containment of any dirt,debris, and biological matter within the enclosed channel 3100 byminimizing the amount of time the orifice 3135 is exposed, therebyexposing the external environment to the contents of the channel 3100.

In implementations, as shown in FIG. 18, the controller 3005 is furtherconfigured to determine whether a work volume 3105 a-d is clear of anyarticles 12 before an arm 3115 drops another article 12 into that workvolume. For example, an article 12 b can remain in the third work volume3105 c while a second arm 3115 b waits for the third arm 3115 c tofinish cleaning the third work volume 3105 c before releasing anotherarticle 12 c into the third work volume 3105 c. The article 12 bremaining in the third work volume 3105 is detected by the one or moresensors, e.g., at least one of a downward angled sensor 3140 a-c, atransversely angled sensor 3145 a-c, and an upwardly angled sensor 3147a-c as previously described with regard to implementations.

As previously described, in implementations, such as shown in FIGS.10-11, the enclosed channel 3100 is raised above a floor 10 or platform.For example, the enclosed channel 3100 can be supported by a pluralityof legs 17 a-f disposed on and, in some implementations, anchored to thefloor 10 or platform. In implementations, one or more sorting bins 3202a-e (also referred to herein as “bin” or “bins”) are configured to bedisposed beneath the stationary floor 3110 of the channel 3100 toreceive the separated and sorted each one of the plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n associated with a single household's load of dirtylaundry. The one or more sorting bins 3202 a-e are disposed beneath theexit orifice for receiving each one of the plurality of deformablearticles exiting the enclosed channel 3100 individually and, inimplementations, collecting a sorted and batched load of deformablearticles for washing and drying collectively. In implementations, theone or more sorting bins 3202 a-e are disposed on a carousel 3200, orload constructor, for rotating an appropriate one of the one or moresorting bins 3202 a-e beneath the outlet orifice 3135. Each of the oneor more bins 3202 a-e is configured to receive one or more of theplurality of deformable articles 12 a-n having one or morecharacteristics associated with at least one of the one or more bins3202 a-e so that items having compatible and/or matching characteristicsare aggregated into one or more associated bins. In implementations, theone or more characteristics comprise at least one of color, size, andfabric heat tolerance.

The autonomous separating and sorting robot 3000 is configured toprovide the at least one deformable article 12 to one or more washingand drying devices 4000, and in implementations the autonomousseparating and sorting robot 3000 comprises sensors configured todetermine one or more characteristics of the at least one deformablearticle 12. The one or more characteristics can be, for example,material composition, fabric finish, load weight, color, size, volume,article type, and degree of dirtiness. In implementations, theautonomous separating and sorting robot 3000 communicates thesecharacteristics to the controller 4005 of the one or more washing anddrying devices 400 for determining parameters for a washing and dryingcycle, parameters such as wash cycle temperature, cleaning and rinseagent amounts and concentrations, wash cycle duration (e.g., one or moresoak and agitation cycles), number and duration of rinse cycles, soakcycle duration, washing cycle agitation speed (e.g., for delicate,normal, and heavy loads), maximum spin speed during fluid (e.g., waterand/or chemicals) extraction, wash detergent selection andconcentration, number of rinse cycles, drying air temperature, dryingairflow rate, and a minimum size device 4000 in a cluster 4002 forreceiving each load of at least one deformable article 12. Additionallyor alternatively, in implementations, the autonomous separating andsorting robot 3000 is configured to estimate cycle duration and washwater requirements (e.g., for plant load balancing purposes across oneor more clusters 4002).

In implementations, the wash parameters associated with the identifiedone or more characteristics are stored in a memory in communication withthe controller 3005. The memory can be a memory 3010 of the separatingand sorting device 3000 and additionally or alternatively can be amemory storage or database 235, 250, 240 in remote communication withthe controller 3005 via the communication network 230. Because each loadof household laundry contains articles of various types, sizes,materials, stains, and related wash requirements, each load may comprisemore than one associated wash parameter. The wash parameters can bestored in a look up table cross referenced with one or morecharacteristics along with a default hierarchy for selecting washing anddrying parameters based on two or more characteristics. For example,water temperature and agitation cycle duration associated with materialtype can trump parameters associated with load volume or weight. Forexample, a large load of laundry comprising several heavy cotton towelscan be washed on warm water with vigorous agitation while a large loadof thing cotton undergarments can be washed at more slow, gentleagitation speeds. The controller 3005 thus can be configured todetermine wash parameters for each individual load of laundry based onthe characteristics of the one or more deformable articles 12 in eachindividual load and communicate at least one of the one or morecharacteristics and washing and drying parameters associated with a bin3202 to the one or more washing and drying devices 4000 receiving thebin 3202. Additionally or alternatively to the autonomous separating andsorting robot 3000 determining one or more characteristics of the atleast one deformable article 12 for cross referencing with associatedwash parameters, the wash parameters can be communicated to and receivedby a remote terminal 205 in communication with the communication network230. A user of the remote terminal, e.g., the customer owning the one ormore deformable articles, can provide predetermined wash parametersassociated with a tagged (e.g., RFID label, bar code, QR code, etc.)container of dirty laundry articles 12 a-n on an input screen of theremote terminal 205 or handheld device 245, and the providedpredetermined parameters can be communicated to and stored in the memory4010, 235, 240, 255 in communication with the controller 3005.

Because the one or more characteristics can include at least one of loadsize, fabric type, fabric finishes, wash cycle temperature, and articletype (e.g., thick, water retaining items such as towels and jeans andthinner fabric items such as t-shirts and underwear), inimplementations, at least one of the controller 4005 of the washing anddrying device 4000 and remote terminal 205 determines optimum conditionsfor airflow, air temperature. and drying duration based on the loadcharacteristics detected by the separating and sorting robot 3000. Forexample, the load characteristics can comprise two or more of thefollowing load characteristics: the size of the load of laundry articles12 a-n relative to a size of a drum of a washing and drying robot 4000a-n, the fiber composition and fabric type (e.g., weave/knit type andlooseness, length of fibers (staple) from which the fiber/yarn is spun,spin quality of the fiber/yarn, fuzziness, etc.) of one or more articles12 in the load, fabric finishes of one or more articles 12 in the load,wash cycle temperature, and article type and thickness. The two or moreload characteristics can be determined by the dirty laundry separatingand sorting robot 3000 and communicated to the controller 4005 of thewashing and drying robot 4000 and/or the remote terminal 205 by acontroller 3305 of the dirty laundry separating and sorting robot 3000via a wired or wireless network 230.

Turning to the system schematic of FIG. 5, as previously described, thecontroller 3005 is configured to determine based on receiving a signalfrom the at least one sensor 3140, 3145, 3147 disposed within each ofthe plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d that none of theplurality of deformable articles 12, 12 a-n remain on the stationaryfloor 3110 in any of the plurality of sequential work volumes in theenclosed channel 3100. Upon determining that none of the plurality ofdeformable articles 12, 12 a-n remain on the stationary floor 3110 inany of the plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d, at least oneof the controller 3005 and a load constructor processor 3221 is furtherconfigured to instruct at conveyor drive 3222 of the load constructor3200 to transit the one or more bins 3202 a-e of the sorted plurality ofdeformable articles 12, 12 a-n to one or more autonomous combinationwashing and drying machines 4000.

The one or more deformable articles 12, 12 a-n in a common bin 3202 a-eare routed to a single washing and drying device 4000. Inimplementations, more than one bin 3202 a-e can be routed to a singlewashing and drying device 4000 if the characteristics of the deformablearticles therein are matching and/or compatible for washing together andwithout exceeding a load capacity of a washing and drying device 4000,as will be described subsequently with regard to implementations of loadconstruction parameters. In implementations, the device 3000 comprisesat least one fill sensor in communication with the controller 3005, andthe at least one fill sensor is configured to detect an occupied volumeof the one or more bins. In implementations, the fill sensor is anoptical sensor focused on a minimum threshold fill line and a maximumthreshold fill line disposed on an interior surface of one of the one ormore bins 3202 a-e positioned beneath the exit orifice. The optical fillsensor can be configured to detect whether the of one or more of theplurality of deformable articles received in the one of the one or morebins reaches or surpasses the minimum threshold fill line. Inimplementations, the maximum threshold fill line comprises a top edge ofthe one of the one or more bins 3202 a-e. Additionally or alternatively,the fill sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of theoccupied volume of the one of the one or more bins being with athreshold range between the minimum threshold fill line and maximumthreshold fill line. Upon determining an occupied volume of the one ofthe one or more bins is within a threshold range indicative of beingfilled, the controller 3005 is further configured to instruct the loadconstructor 3200 to unload the filled one of the one or more bins 3202a-e containing the sorted plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n to theautonomous combination washing and drying device 4000. Inimplementations, a filled volume of all deformable articles in a singlebin 3202 should be less than a washing and drying device capacity. Forexample, the washing and drying device capacity can be in a range ofbetween about 0.10 m{circumflex over ( )}3 to 0.20 m{circumflex over( )}3. In implementations, the washing and drying device capacity can beat or about 0.17 m{circumflex over ( )}3. In implementations, thecontroller 3005 is configured to determine whether additional items canbe added to a collection bin 3202. The controller 3005 can determinewhether a deformable article 12 fits into the available bin based on asize estimate and previous bin fill level. For example, the controller3005 can be configured to stop loading a bin 3202 that is in a range ofbetween about one half to three quarters full.

Additionally or alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 10-11 and FIGS. 51A-B,the fill sensor is a weight sensor (e.g. a scale or loadcell 3215)disposed beneath the one of the one or more bins 3202 a-e positionedbeneath the exit orifice 3135. The scale 3215 is configured to detectwhether the weight of the one of the one or more bins 3202 a-e reachesor surpasses the minimum threshold weight indicative of a bin fullcondition. Because the weight of all articles 12 a-n in a single bin3202 must weigh less than a washing and drying device 4000 capacity, thecontroller 3005 is configured to determine whether additional items canbe added to a collection bin 3202 based on at least one of weight andvolume. The controller 3005 can determine whether a deformable article12 fits into the available bin based on a weight estimate of the articleand the bin weight. For example, in an implementation, the washing anddrying device capacity can be about 16 kg, and the controller 3005 canbe configured to stop loading a bin 3202 having a current net bin massof greater than or equal to 14 kg. In implementations, the washing anddrying device capacity can be about 16 kg, and the controller 3005 canbe configured to not add a heavy item to a bin 3202 having a current netbin mass of greater than or equal to 10 kg. In implementations, a heavyitem weighs between about 5-10 kg. In implementations, the controller3005 is configured to obtain a mass measurement of a deformable article12 by reading the tilt arm current of a tilt motor 3125 b-b″ of the atleast one drive motor 3125 a-c required to raise the deformable article12 to the hoist height H1.

In implementations, the fill sensor is configured to output a signalindicative of the bin full condition. Upon receiving the bin fullcondition output signal, the controller 3005 is further configured toinstruct the load constructor 3200 to unload the filled one of the oneor more bins 3202 a-e containing the sorted plurality of deformablearticles 12 a-n to one or more autonomous combination washing and dryingmachines 3000. In implementations, each of the one or more bins 3202 a-ecomprises an identification marker 3220 a-e for associating with atleast one of a identity of the bin and one or more characteristics ofthe one or more deformable articles sorted into the each of the one ormore bins 3202 a-e.

In implementations, as shown in FIG. 32, the identification marker 3220a-e of each bin 3202 of the plurality of bins 3202 a-e comprises acustomer ID and at least one of a net weight, a final fill level (e.g.,Full, ¾, ½, ¼, and E, where E indicates the contents being below the ¼fill level), color (e.g., light or dark) and item size (e.g., large ortypical). A controller 4005 in operable communication with theautonomous washing and drying machine 4000 or machines receiving the oneor more bins 3202 a-e will use the information associated with theidentification marker or markers 3220 a-e to determine how and whetherto combine one or more of the bins 3202 a-e in a single washing anddrying device 4000. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 3005of the device 3000 and/or the controller 4005 of the washing and dryingdevice 4000 can be configured to determine how and whether to combineone or more of the plurality of bins 3202 a-e based on one or morecharacteristics of the one or more deformable articles 12 a-n disposedin each bin 3202 a-e and associated with the bin marker 3220. Inimplementations, the bin marker 3220, 3220 a-e comprises a visiblemarker such as a digital display, an RFID tag, a bar code, or a QR code.Additionally or alternatively, the bin marker 3220 is determined by thecontroller 3005 and assigned to a bin 3202 based on the bin position onthe load constructor 3200. The bin marker 3220 is a unique pointerpassed to a structure in software.

The parameters for determining combining bins can be stored on a localand/or remote memory in wired or wireless communication with a least onecontroller 3005, 4005. To prevent overfilling a washing and dryingdevice 4000, the parameters can include one or more of the followinglimitations: ‘¾’ full bins shall not be combined with any other bins, a‘½’ full bin may only be combined with a single ‘¾’ full bin, a ‘¾’ fullbin may be combined with another ‘¾’ full bin or an ‘E’ bin, three “E”bins may be combined and a combined weight of all bins must be less thana threshold weight. For example, the threshold weight can be in a rangeof between about 10-20 kg. In implementations, the threshold weight isat or about 16 kg.

As previously described, in implementations the device 3000 comprises anactuatable load constructor 3200 in operable communication with thecontroller 3005. As shown in FIGS. 10-11 and 32, in implementations, theload constructor 3200 is configured to receive thereon the one or morebins 3202 a-e and rotate the one or more bins 3202 a-e beneath theenclosed channel 3100 to match a characteristic of one of the one ormore bins positioned beneath the outlet orifice 3135 with the one ormore characteristics of each one of the plurality of deformable articles12, 12 a-n exiting the enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, theload constructor 3200 comprises one or more conveyors 3205, 3205 a-d forpositioning one of the one or more bins 3202 a-e disposed thereonbeneath the exit orifice 3135. In implementations, a central conveyor3205 a is configured to receive thereon a bin 3202 c for placementbeneath the orifice 3135. In implementations, the conveyors 3205 a-d areconfigured to move the bins both back and forth in the direction of thechannel inlet end I to outlet end O and side to side. Inimplementations, the conveyor is configured to hold one fewer bin thanthe number of available conveyor spaces such at a gap 3217 enables freeflowing movement of the bins 3202 a-e on the load constructor.

Turning now to FIGS. 48-57, in implementations the load constructor 3200comprises 6 conveyors for receiving a maximum of 5 bins 3202 a-e thereonfor moving back and forth and side to side to position a particular binbeneath the exit orifice 3135. The total number of conveyors can scaleto any number as long as one conveyor 3205 is left unoccupied forshuffling two or more bins 3202 a-e about the load constructor 3200. Asshown for example in FIG. 52, in implementation, each conveyor 3205comprise a plurality of driven rollers 3245 a-f configured to position abin 3202 thereon in a first direction and a plurality of pop up transferroller assemblies 3240 a-d configured to raise a rotating belt 3241 upabove a top plane of the driven rollers 3245 to engage a bottom surfaceof the bin 3202 and transfer the bin 3202 thereon in a directionperpendicular to the first direction. As shown in FIGS. 50 and 52B, inimplementations each rotating belt 3241 is driven by a drive gear 3243and supported by one or more rollers 3245 a-e for tensioning andretaining the belt 3241 thereon. As shown in FIGS. 49-50 and 52-54, eachof the transfer roller assemblies 3240 is spring loaded to raise therotating belts 3241 of each pop up transfer roller assembly 3240, 3240a-d up higher than the adjacent rollers 3245, 3245 a-f. As shown inFIGS. 53-54 the pop up transfer roller assemblies 3240 a-d of eachconveyor 3205 are mounted on a shared moveable frame 3246 and, inimplementations, are geared together for simultaneous rotation of eachbelt 3241 of the plurality of transfer roller assemblies 3240 a-d.

In implementations, each of the maximum number of bins 3202 can bepositioned on the load constructor 3200 at the start of a separating andsorting process for a load of deformable laundry articles 12 a-n.Alternatively, the load constructor processor 3221 can call for theautonomous loading of a bin 3202 onto the load constructor 3200 uponreceipt of a signal communicating of a detected condition comprising atleast one of a start of a separating and sorting process, theidentification of a new article characteristic associated with newlyidentified washing and drying parameters (e.g., color, fabric type,material thickness, stain identification, etc.) within a load of dirtylaundry articles 12 a-n, and detection of a bin full condition of a bin3202 disposed on the load constructor 3200 prior to completingseparating and sorting of a load of deformable laundry articles 12 a-n.

For example, as shown in FIG. 55A, first bin 3202 labeled with thenumeral 1 enters a load position beneath the orifice 3135. The loadposition in this example is conveyor 3205 b and the total number ofconveyors 3205 a-d is eight. The first article 12 a that enters thefirst bin 3202 (e.g., numeral 1) sets the bin type. For example, if thefirst article 12 a is a large, white, thick, terrycloth article such asa towel, the bin characteristic is at least one of large, white, thick,and terrycloth such that any other large, which, thick, terrycloth itemssubsequently identified by the one or more sensors 3140 a-d, 3145 a-d,3147 a-d of the enclosed channel 3100 will be deposited also in this bin3202 until a bin full condition is reached. As shown in FIG. 55B, whenthe separating and sorting device 3000 identifies an article of a secondtype, the first bin (numeral 1) moves to a new conveyor position (e.g.,corner conveyor 3205) and a second bin labeled with numeral 2 istransferred across one or more conveyors 3205 c-d to the load positionconveyor 3205 beneath the orifice for receiving the article of a secondtype. In this way, each bin 3202 of the plurality of bins 3202 a-econtains one or more deformable articles 12 a-n comprising one or moreshared characteristics for effective aggregate washing and drying. Asshown in FIG. 56A, in implementations, a bin disposed on the loadposition conveyor 3205 b can move side to side (arrow S) on one of thedriven rollers 3240 a-f and the pop up transfer roller assemblies 3245a-d and back and forth (arrow BF) on the other of at least one of thedriven rollers 3240 a-f and transfer roller assemblies 3245 a-d. Asshown in FIG. 56B, one or more sensors 3140 d-g are positioned about theload constructor 3200 for detecting the at least a level and/or volumeof one or more deformable articles 12 a-n contained in each of the oneor more bins 3202, 3202 a-n thereon. In implementations, the one or moresensors 3140 d-g comprise one or more cameras positioned about the loadconstructor 3200.

FIGS. 57A-D depict a sequence of moves of 5 bins 3202 (labeled 1-5)moving about a load constructor 3200. Each bin moves one conveyorlocation at a time, either front to back or side to side. In FIG. 57A,bin number 2 moves to an open location. In FIG. 57B, bin number 1transfers to bin number 2's starting location and bin number 4 transfersto bin number 1's starting location. In FIG. 57C, bin number 2 moves tobin number 4's starting location and bin number 1 moves to bin number2's second location, as shown in FIG. 57D. In implementations, thecontroller 3005 and/or load constructor processor 3221 is configured tomove the bins in a most efficient sequence when a particular bin type iscalled to the loading position. For example, at least one of thecontroller and load constructor processor 3221 employs optimized pathplanning (e.g., DIJKSTRA'S path planning algorithm) for efficient,autonomous reordering of bins 3202 a-n on the load constructor 3200.Additionally, in implementations, each conveyor 3205 of the plurality ofconveyors 3205 a-n comprises one or more position sensors 3228 fordetecting a position of a bin 3202 thereon as successfully loaded andapproximately centered. For example, in implementations, each conveyor3205 of the plurality of conveyors 3205 a-n comprises four limitswitches, one disposed at each corner of the conveyor 3205, fordetecting the passage of a bin thereacross such that the controller 3005and/or processor 3221 receiving signals from one or more of the fourlimit switches can determine a position of the bin 3202 based on whichswitches of which conveyor(s) detected passage of a transferring bin3202 thereacross.

As previously described, each of the one or more bins 3202 a-e comprisesan identification marker representative of the contents of the bin andlinkable with a customer ID. In implementations, the identificationmarker comprises at least one of a machine-readable serial number, a barcode, a machine-readable QR code, an RFID code, NFC tag, a WIFI enabledtag, a ZIGBEE enabled tag, and an active radio telemetry system. Inimplementations, the controller 3005 can create a virtual tag in memoryassociated with a known location of one or more bins based on an initiallocation and subsequent locations as the one or more bins move throughthe process line 100, 100 a-c. In implementations, the controller 3005is in communication with a memory configured to store at least onerelation comprising one of the one or more characteristics associatedwith the bin, the bin identification marker for each of the one or morebins, and a customer identity shared by the plurality of deformablearticles received into the enclosed channel. In implementations, thecontroller 3005 is in communication with a communication network 230,and a remote terminal 205 in communication with the communicationnetwork is configured to receive a customer input comprising the one ormore characteristics associated with the plurality of deformablearticles.

Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, at least one sensor(e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c) is configuredto detect the one or more characteristics of each one of the pluralityof deformable articles 12 a-n and output a signal to the controller 3005comprising the detected one or more characteristics. In implementations,the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a 3D camera, an IRsensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonar proximity sensor, anultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, a pair of stereo depthcameras, a colorimeter for determining color of an article 12, and aspectrometer for determining fiber type of a deformable article 12. Inimplementations, the at least one sensor comprises at least one of acolorimeter and spectrometer disposed on or in the fingertips of thegripper fingers 3107 a-b because these points come into close contactwith the material of the article 12 for successful evaluation.Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor comprises atleast one of a colorimeter and spectrometer disposed at least one of ina wall 3112 a-d of the channel 3100 and along the floor 3110 such thatan arm 3115 can hold a hoisted article against or immediately proximatethe sensor. The one at least one sensor can further detect one or morestains disposed on a deformable article and flag the article in softwarefor delivering to a bin 3202 marked for stain treatment in the washingand drying device 4000. In implementations, the at least one sensorcomprises a camera (e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147a-c) associated with one or more of the plurality of work volumesoutputs at least one of depth map, RGB images, and IR images. Inimplementations, the at least one sensor comprises a camera (e.g., oneor more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c) associated with one ormore of the plurality of work volumes, the camera being configured tooutput 3-D image data to the controller 3005. Additionally oralternatively, the at least one sensor comprises a camera (e.g., one ormore sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c) associated with one or moreof the plurality of work volumes and the camera is configured to outputone or more 2-D images to the controller 3005. As previously described,in implementations, the at least one sensor is a camera, and the camerais calibrated to at least one of the floor of the enclosed channel 3100and one or more of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c.

In implementations, the controller is configured to determine, based ona comparison of a received output signal of the at least one sensor todata stored in a memory in communication with the controller, at leastone of an article type, an article color, an article size, and anarticle fabric. In implementations, at least one sensor is a 2-D camera,and the data associated with the deformable laundry article is sizeinvariant image data comparable with database images of tagged articlesand/or classes of articles.

In implementations, the memory comprises a neural network 300, anddetermining the one or more characteristics of each one of the pluralityof deformable articles comprises processing the received output signalof the at least one sensor with a neural network classifier. Inimplementations, as shown in FIG. 33, the neural network 300 comprises atrained neural network, for example a convolutional neural network thatoperates quickly on 3D and/or 2D data and is configured to classifyimages from the 3D and/or 2D camera. In an implementation, theclassification comprises generating a descriptor based on the outputsignal of the at least one sensor 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-cassociated with each one of the plurality of work volumes, andclassifying, using the neural network, the output signal based on thedescriptor. The neural network is configured to output a probabilitythat the output signal corresponds to a class of the stored dataindicative of one or more deformable article types, for example. Theclasses of trained data in the neural network include data associatedwith many types of deformable articles. For example, as shown in FIG.33, a neural network 300 can be trained with a set of training data 305.After training, the neural network 300 comprises a set of weights thatcan be used for neural network inference to determine whether an input330 (e.g., output signal from the one of the at least one sensors 3140a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c in each one of the plurality of sequential workvolumes 3105 a-d of the device 3000) is within one of the trainedclasses. The classes of trained data in the neural network include dataassociated with many types of deformable laundry articles that compriseparticular washing characteristics (e.g., size, color, temperaturerequirements, degree of dirtiness, etc.)

For example, size is a particularly important characteristic of adeformable article because a large item (e.g., a bed sheet, comforter,tablecloth, large bathrobe, etc.) can envelop smaller items, preventingthem from being washed or dried effectively. Therefore the controller3005 will prevent mixing these items in a common (e.g., shared) bin 3202for washing. The neural network 300, therefore can be used to determinewhether a deformable article in the enclosed channel 3100 is of a largegarment class. For example, in implementations such as that of FIG. 21,the controller 3005 is configured to receive an output signal comprisingan image 3142 of a deformable article 12 a engaged with at least onegripper (e.g., two or more grippers 3120 b, 3120 c) at a hoist heightH1. The controller is configured to determine, based on the outputsignal, a number of pixels in each of an upper half 3142 a and a lowerhalf 3142 b of the image, and based on the number of pixels in the lowerhalf of the image exceeding a preset threshold that the at least onedeformable article 12 a comprises a large sized article. Additionally oralternatively, the controller 3005 can be configured to determine anoverall pixel count occupied by the deformable article. Additionally oralternatively, the controller 3005 can be configured to determine a gapheight H2 as previously described with regard to implementations, and,based on the gap height being equal to or less than a thresholddistance, determine the deformable article 12 a is of a large sizeclass.

In other implementations, such as that of FIG. 22, the controller 3005can determine whether a deformable article is a large item by stitchingimages together from multiple cameras (e.g., sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c,3147 a-c), and identifying article size and position relative to thecoordinates of the enclosed channel 3100. The controller 3005 isconfigured to cream a single-image view of the entire floor 3110 of thechannel and identify the deformable article 12 against the backdrop ofthe entire length of the floor 3110. Because the one or more sensors(e.g., cameras) 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c are calibrated into thephysical space of the enclosed channel 3100, the controller 3005 candetermine where in physical dimensions of the channel the article beginsand ends. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the article 12 is a largesize article spanning between the second and third work volumes 3105b-c.

As previously described with regard to implementations, the at least oneof the controller 3005 and load constructor processor 3221 can determinea bin full condition based on at least one of a weight and a volume ofeach of the plurality of loaded bins 3202 on the load constructor 3200.As previously described with regard to implementations shown in FIGS.51A-B, one or more corners of a load position conveyor beneath theoutlet orifice 3135 each comprises a loadcell 3215 there beneath. Inimplementations, each of the loadcells 3215 a-d are in operativecommunication with at least one of the controller and the loadconstructor processor 3221 for outputting a signal indicative of aweight of a bin 3202 positioned on the load position conveyor. Inimplementations, each loadcell 3215 is configured to senses a weight ina range of between about 10 kg to 30 kg. Additionally or alternatively,a bin full condition is detected by one or more sensors configured todetect the height of the contents of a bin. For example, as shown inFIG. 56B, one or more cameras 4140 d-g disposed about the loadconstructor detect the height of contents within a bin and whether thecontents have exceeded a threshold bin volume height. Inimplementations, each camera 4104 d-g can detect a volume of one or moredeformable articles in a bin 3202 by breaking the (length×width) of abin into discrete “columns”. Because the camera is positioned a setheight relative to the load constructor 3200, a static distance to thebottom of a bin 3202 is known. For each column in a bin, the camera 3140d-g measures the heights and calculates the volume of each column. Atleast one of the controller 3005 and load constructor processor 3221sums the volumes of every column and calculates an approximate filledvolume within the bin. Because the bin has a known maximum volume and/ormaximum threshold fill volume, the controller 3005 and/or loadconstructor processor 3221 compares the filled total volume against themaximum volume and/or maximum threshold fill volume and then determinewhether the remaining unoccupied volume in a bin can receive anadditional one or more articles 12. As described with regard toimplementations, the one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c ofthe enclosed channel and/or one or more sensors of the arm 3115, gripper3120 and drive motors 3125 a-c can determine or approximate based onweight the size of a separated article positioned above the outletorifice 3135.

Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, the controller 3005executes a crumple predictor routine for determining a volume of aseparated article 12. The crumple predictor is trained by taking apicture of a suspended article, dropping the articles on the floor 3110of the channel 3100 and taking a picture of the article on the floor3110. The controller 3005 then computes a volume of the article on thefloor 3110 from point cloud voxels of the detected article 12. Thecrumple predictor can be trained on a plurality of articles comprising aplurality of shapes, sizes, and volumes, and the controller 3005 canstore that information in memory 3010 or database for estimating volumesof subsequently separated articles 12 suspended in the channel 3100.

Because articles 12 a-n can pile in a pyramid during loading, the drivenrollers 2145 a-d of the plurality of conveyors 3105 a-n are configuredto rotate rapidly in opposite directions to “shake” the bin 3202 thereonand settle the contents therein from a pyramid to a more uniform heightacross the length and width of the bin 3202. Additionally oralternatively, the device 3000 comprises one or more plungers forpushing a just loaded article 12 into a bin 3202 and compressing thepeak of any pyramid shaped deposited article.

As previously described with regard to implementations, at least one ofthe controller 3005 and load constructor processor 3221 canintelligently shift bins 3202 a-n on the load constructor 3200 such thatthe plurality of deformable articles 12 a-n are sorted into one or morebins based on what percent of the load of deformable articles 12 a-n hasbeen separated and sorted and what percent remains. Additionally oralternatively, the load constructor 3200 can fill each bin 3202 a-n to a“bin full” state before starting to fill a second bin of the same type.Alternatively, the load constructor can fill two or more bins of thesame article type (e.g., two light article bins), alternating betweenthe two or more bins with each addition of an article of that type. Whenthe separation and sorting process completes, the at least one of thecontroller 3005 and load constructor processor 3221 determines if thetwo or more bins of the same article type can be combined into a singlewashing and drying device 4000 without exceeding a threshold capacity.

As described previously, once the controller 3005 determines that alldeformable articles of a plurality of deformable articles 12 a-nreceived into the enclosed channel 3100 from a customer box 3500 aresorted into the one or more bins 3202 a-e, the controller 3005 instructsthe load constructor 3200 to convey the remaining bins thereon to one ormore washing and drying devices 4000 a-n. The controller 3005 thenprepares the enclosed channel 3100 for receiving a next load of one ormore deformable articles 12 a-n. In implementations, as shown in FIGS.6-9 and 34-35, the device 3000 comprises a retractable cleaner 3600configured to advance through the enclosed channel 3100 from the inletend I to the outlet end O while cleaning one or more interior surfaces.In implementations, the retractable cleaner 3600 is configured to formthe inlet wall 3112 a of the enclosed channel 3100 in a fully retractedposition. In implementations, the retractable cleaner comprises a planarprofile contoured and fitted to a cross sectional profile of theenclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the cross-sectional profileof the enclosed channel is a symmetrical polygon, symmetric about acenter line. In implementations, the cross sectional profile of theenclosed channel 3100 is not symmetrical.

In implementations, the retractable cleaner 3600 comprises an actuatablecleaning drive motor in operable communication with the controller 3005.Upon determining that none of the plurality of deformable articles 12a-n remain on the stationary floor 3110 in any of the sequential workvolumes 3005 a-d, the controller 3005 is configured to instruct theretractable cleaner 3600 to advance from the inlet end I to the outletend O of the enclosed channel 3100. In implementations, the drive motorextends a telescoping plunger 3612 or pusher arm disposed on an externalface 3616 of the retractable cleaner 3600. As shown in FIG. 35, inimplementations, the controller 3005 is configured to instruct theplurality of arms 3115 a-c to retract from their associated work volumesprior to the retractable cleaner 3600 advancing through the plurality ofwork volumes 3105 a-d such that only the terminal gripper 3120 a-c ofeach of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c remains within an associated workvolume of the enclosed channel 3100. The retractable cleaner 3600 cancomprise a slot 3605 configured to pass over and clean the terminalgripper 3120. Additionally, in implementations, the device 3000 includesa waterproof covering 3117 or seal about the arm 3115. The waterproofcovering 3117 can comprise at least one of a flexible cone and anaccordion pleated boot covering the arm and surrounding opening in asidewall of the channel 3100 through which the arm 3115 extends. Bysealing the opening, the waterproof covering 3117 prevents moisture fromescaping the channel 3100 during cleaning and contains dirt, debris,biological matter, and any other biohazards and loose items within theenclosed channel 3100 during the separating process and sorting. Becausethe covering 3117 is flexible, arm movement is unconstrained and becausethe covering is waterproof, it can withstand the pressure, temperatures,and chemical compositions and cleaning solutions emanating from theretractable cleaner 3600.

Additionally, in implementations, the device 3000 further comprises oneor more UV lights in operable communication with the controller 3005 forcleaning the enclosed channel 3100. The one or more UV lights areconfigured to illuminate the one or more sequential work volumes 3105a-d of the enclosed channel 3100 after the retractable cleaner 3600advances to the outlet end O and then retracts to the inlet end I. Inimplementations, the one or more UV lights are disposed on one or moreinterior surfaces of the enclosed channel 3100, and the controller 3005is further configured to instruct the plurality of arms fully extendinto the enclosed channel before the one or more UV lights areilluminated, thereby also cleaning the fully extended arms 3115 a-c.This sanitizes the enclosed channel surfaces and the arms 3115 a-c andassociated grippers 3120 a-d between separating and sorting successiveloads of one or more dirty deformable articles 12 a-n, therebypreventing the potential introduction of contaminants, pathogens, andother debris and dirty between loads of articles.

Turning back to FIG. 34, in implementations, the retractable cleaner3600 further comprises one or more wheels or pairs of wheels 3610 a-eextending from an outer face 3616 (e.g., end wall 3112 a) of theretractable cleaner 3600. The one or more wheels or pairs of wheels 3610a-e are configured to guide the motion of the retractable cleaner 3600along one or more interior surfaces of the enclosed channel 3100 as theplunger arm 3612 advances the retractable cleaner 3600 down the lengthof the enclosed channel 3100 from in the inlet end I to the outlet endO. In implementations, the retractable cleaner 3600 comprises aplurality of spray ports 3615 a-n disposed along a continuous outersurface 3620 of the retractable cleaner 3600 facing the one or moreinterior surfaces of the enclosed channel 3100. A service line 3625 isin fluid communication with the plurality of spray ports 3615 a-n. Theservice line 3625 is configured to provide a cleaning fluid forapplication to the one or more interior surfaces via the plurality ofspray ports 3615 a-n. In implementations, the cleaning fluid comprisesat least one of steam, water, a detergent, a germicide, and a pesticide.

In implementations, the service line 3625 further comprises at least oneof a vacuum line and a power conduit. Additionally, in implementations,the retractable cleaner 3600 further comprises a plurality of evacuationports 3630 a-n disposed along the continuous outer surface 3620 of theretractable cleaner facing the one or more interior surfaces of theenclosed channel. The plurality of evacuation ports 3630 a-n is inoperative communication with the vacuum line for suctioning remainingmoisture from the one or more interior surfaces of the enclosed channel3100 upon advancement of the retractable cleaner 3600 through theenclosed channel 3100.

Additionally, in implementations, the retractable cleaner 3600 comprisesa squeegee 3635 on a trailing edge of the continuous outer surface 3620of the retractable cleaner 3600 facing the one or more interior surfacesof the enclosed channel.

As described with regard to implementations, the device 3000 comprises aplurality of arms 3115 a-c for separating a plurality of deformablearticles and intelligently sorting the articles one at a time into oneor more batches for washing. As previously described, each of theplurality of arms 3115 a-c is configured to pan, tilt, extend, andretract within an associated work volume 3105 a-c of the enclosedchannel 3100.

As shown in FIGS. 36-38, the plurality of arms 3115 a-c each extend froma corresponding anchor 3118 a-c at corresponding individually anchoredpositions as shown, for example, in the implementations of FIGS. 10-11.In implementations, the anchor 3118 a-c comprises a columnar pedestal orbase affixed to the floor 10 beneath the device 3000 and adjacent theenclosed channel 3100. In implementations, each arm 3115 a-c comprises afully extended length of between about 0.25 m and 4 m. The plurality ofarms 3115 a-c are each configured to tilt and extend to a hoist heightH1. In implementations, the hoist height comprises a predeterminedheight Additionally or alternatively, the hoist height can varydepending on the size of a raised article 12. The controller 3005 candynamically determine a final hoist height, based on, for example, areceived sensor signal, that the article 12 is suspended above the floor3110 of the channel 3100. In implementations, the hoist height comprisesa range of between about 0.5 to 4 m above the stationary floor 3110.

Turning to FIGS. 36-38, the arm 3115 a-c comprises at least one drivemotor 3125 a-c disposed on an anchor 3118 a-c, and, in implementations,the at least one drive motor comprises a pan drive motor 3125 a, a tiltdrive motor 3125 b, and an extend drive motor 3125 c as will bedescribed in detail subsequently. In implementations, the plurality ofanchors 3118 a-c are each associated with one of the plurality of arms3115 a-c and disposed on at least one of a wall 3112 a-d, the stationaryfloor 3110, and the ceiling 3111 of the enclosed channel 3100. Inimplementations, each anchor is disposed outside the enclosed channel3100 and the associated one of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c moveablyengaged therewith extends through a side wall 3112 c-d of the enclosedchannel 3100.

In implementations, the enclosed channel 3100 comprises a plurality ofopenings in a sidewall, each opening being configured to receive one ofthe plurality of arms 3115 a-c therethrough. Implementations, asdescribed with regard to FIG. 25, a seal or covering 3117 is disposedabout each of the plurality of openings through which each one of theplurality of arms extends. In implementations, the seal comprises aflexible material configured to stretch as the rod extends, pans, tilts,and retracts. Additionally or alternatively, the seal is pleated andcompressible. As described with regard to the implementation of FIG. 35,the seal is configured to enable the arm 3115 a-c to retract so thatonly the terminal gripper 312 a-c remains exposed within the enclosedchannel 3100 for cleaning and sanitizing. In implementations, theflexible material comprises at least one of NEOPRENE, vinyl, rubber,plastic, leather, urethane, silicone, and elastane (SPANDEX).

In implementations, as shown in FIGS. 6-7 and 10-11, for example, theplurality of arms 3115 a-c are disposed along a length of the enclosedchannel 3100 at individually anchored positions spaced apart from eachof the other anchored positions by between about 150 cm to 400 cm. Inone implementation, the plurality of arms 3115 a-c are spaced apart by adistance of between about 4 to 9 feet (e.g. (e.g., 4 ft, 4.25 ft, 4.5ft, 4.75 ft, 5 ft, 5.25 ft, 5.5 ft, 5.75 ft, 6 ft, 6.25 ft, 6.5 ft, 6.75ft, 7 ft, 7.25 ft, 7.5 ft, 7.75 ft, 8 ft, 8.25 ft, 8.5 ft, 8.75, 9 ft).In implementations the plurality of arms 3115 a-c comprises at least twoarms. In implementations, the plurality of arms 3115 a-c comprises atleast three arms. In implementations, each one of the plurality of arms3115 a-c comprises an arm with no joints. In some implementations, atleast one arm of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c comprises one or morejoints. In implementations, one of the one or more joints is a sphericaljoint. In alternative implementations one or more of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c comprises a stationary vertical riser along which agripper translates up and down. In still yet other implementations, oneor more of the anchors 3118 a-c comprises a rotatable riser along whicha gripper 3120 translates bidirectionally. In implementations, ratherthan rotating between work volumes as described previously, one or moreof the plurality of arms 3115 a-c can be movably mounted to slide ormotor along one or more tracks disposed above and/or aside the floor3110 of the channel 3100. The one or more movably mounted plurality ofarms are configured to slide linearly between at least one of verticaland horizontal positions, the horizontal positions extending the lengthof each work volume 3105 a-c. In implementations, the movably mountedarms are configured to at least one of extend and tilt. Additionally, inimplementations, the plurality of arms movably mounted to rails compriseone or more joints.

In the implementation of FIG. 11, the device 3000 comprises three arms3115 a-c connected to bases 3118 a-c each anchored aside the enclosedchannel 3100. In implementations, one or more of the bases 3118 a-c isanchored to a floor 10 beneath the enclosed channel 3100. In otherimplementations, one or more of the bases 3118 a-c is anchored to aceiling 3111 or support frame or beam 3119 located above the floor 3110for providing access to an associated plurality of work volumes 3105a-d.

As previously described with regard to implementations, each of theplurality of arms 3115 a-c comprises at least one drive motor 3125 a-c,a′-c′, a″-c″ schematically represented in FIG. 6 and shown in FIGS.36-38. (Although FIGS. 34-36 show a single arm 3115, all elementsdescribed herein are considered applicable to each arm and whereapplicable elements are generically referenced.) Each arm 3115, 3115 a-c(hereinafter referred to as an arm 3115) of the plurality of arms 3115a-c can comprise between one and three degrees of freedom. As shown inFIGS. 6 and 37-38, in implementations, each arm 3115 of the plurality ofarms 3115 a-c can include a pan motor 3125 a, a′, c′ for rotating eachassociated arm 3115 a-c about a vertical axis P through a rotationalangular direction α and parallel to schematically represented verticalaxis L_(Z). In implementations, each arm 3115 is disposed at anchoredpositions spaced apart by at least about a distance of at least 5-20inches (e.g., approximately 12-50 cm) from the channel 3100 exteriorsurfaces so as to not interfere with the enclosed channel 3100 whilemaintaining effective working volumes for successfully grasping,hoisting, and rotating one or more articles 12 down the channel 3100. Asshown in FIG. 5, in implementations, the pan motor 3125 a-a″ comprisesan encoder 3157 a-a″ for detecting a rotational position of the arm 3115a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″. In implementations, the pan motor 3125 a-a″ is acontrollable servo motor and comprises a speed encoder in operablecommunication with at least one of the processor 3155, 3155 a-c and thecontroller 3005.

In implementations, each arm 3115 of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c caninclude a tilt motor 3125 b, b′, b″ c for raising and lowering the arm3115 and associated terminal gripper 3120 with respect to the floor3110, wherein the floor 3110 is in a plane defined by axes L_(HX) andL_(HY) as shown in FIG. 7. The arm tilt motor 3125 b, b′, b″ ispositioned at least a distance of 300 mm over the floor 3110. Inimplementations, a tilt motor 3125 b-b″ comprises an encoder 3157 b-b″for detecting a position of the arm 3115, 3115 a-c. As shown in FIGS.36-38, the tilt motor 6120 of a lifter 6100 is configured to tilt an arm6110 in a rotational tilt direction θ about a tilt axis T approximatelyaligned with a longitudinal axis of the tilt motor 6210, thus moving agripper 6105 upward along a the vertical L_(Z) (e.g., z-axis).

As shown in FIGS. 37-38, in implementations, each arm 3115 of theplurality of arms 3115 a-c can include an extend motor 3125 c-c″ forpushing and pulling an associated arm 3115, 3115 a-c forward and back ina linear direction along an axis E of each arm 3115 and thereby driveeach gripper 3120 toward and away from its associated base 3118 of theplurality of bases 3118 a-c. For example, as shown in FIGS. 37-38, theextend motor 3125 c drives a friction wheel 3126 configured to engage asurface of the arm 3115. The arm 3115 is seated in two or more rotatablesupport wheels 3127 a-c configured to hold the arm in steady alignmentas the friction wheel 3126 retracts and extends the arm 6110 therealonginto and out of the work volume 3105, 3105 a-d. In implementations, therotatable support wheels 6127 a-c comprise v-groove ball bearings andone or more corners of an arm 3155 are disposed on and movably supportedby the v-groove of each bearing. Additionally or alternatively, inimplementations, the rotatable support wheels 3127 a-c comprise one ormore crowned rollers having rounded edges to guarantee no wear on anengaged arm 3115, 3115 a-c. In implementations, the rotatable supportwheels 3127 a-c are configured to withstand maximum radial and axialloads during high-acceleration motions of a heavy article (e.g., anarticle comprising a weight in a range of between about 3 kg to 5 kg)supported by each arm 3115 a-c. Additionally or alternatively the arm3115 further comprises a rack disposed thereon for engaging with a gear(not show) to prevent the arm 3115 from slipping during extend andretract motions in the direction of the bidirectional arrow representingaxis E.

The one or more drive motors 3125 a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″ associated with eacharm 3115 a-c can operate simultaneously, in some sub-combination, oralternate operating to move the each gripper 3120 a-c to a locationwithin the enclosed channel 3100 for engaging a deformable laundryarticle 12 disposed therein. Each gripper 3120 a-c is configured toreleasably engage the deformable laundry article 12 and operate at leastone of independently of and in tandem with another of the grippers 3120a-c to at least one of raise and suspend the deformable laundry articleabove the floor 3110 of the enclosed channel 3100.

In implementations, each arm 3115, 3115 a-c can comprise a rod, such asan extruded beam, configured to extend from an associated base 3118,3118 a-c. In implementations, an arm 3115 can have no joints along itslength, and a length from end to end that measures between about 0.25 mand 4 m (e.g. 0.25 m, 0.5 m, 1.0 m, 1.25 m, 1.5 m, 1.75 m, 2.0 m, 2.25m, 2.5 m, 2.75 m, 3.0 m, 3.25 m, 3.5 m, 3.75 m, 4.0 m). Inimplementations, each arm 3115 of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c is anextendable arm comprising a fully extended length of between about 0.25m and 4 m (e.g. 0.25 m, 0.5 m, 1.0 m, 1.25 m, 1.5 m, 1.75 m, 2.0 m, 2.25m, 2.5 m, 2.75 m, 3.0 m, 3.25 m, 3.5 m, 3.75 m, 4.0 m). In examples, theextendable arm can include at least one of one or more flexible and/orcompliant joints and two or more telescoping sections. Inimplementations, the at least one compliant joint comprises a compliantwrist disposed between the extendable rod of the arm 3115 and theterminal gripper 3120. Additionally or alternatively, the wrist of anarm 3115 comprises one or more of a swivel joint and hinge joint forbending the wrist and aligning the terminal gripper to close on agrippable edge of a hoisted article 12 rather than trying to pinch aplanar surface.

Joints and telescoping arms can be implemented to accommodate spaceconstraints, but the additional moving sections can create pinch pointsfor potential entangling the deformable laundry article 12. Therefore,in implementations, each arm of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c comprisesno joints. In implementations, the motions of each arm 3115, 3115 a-chave a resolution of +/−5 mm in all three cardinal directions (L_(HX),L_(HY), L_(Z)). This precision enables alignment of an associatedgripper 3120, 3120 a-c before grabbing a grip point 15 a-f on adeformable laundry article 12. In implementations, each arm 3115, 3115a-c moves the associated gripper 3120, 3120 a-c within a spherical workvolume having a radius defined by the arm 3115, 3115 a-c. Inimplementations, the linear error introduced by degrees of pan and/ortilt at a full extension of the arm 3115, 3115 a-c is +/−5 mm.

As previously described, in implementations, the two or more arms 3115,3115 a-c comprises three arms anchored along a length of the enclosedchannel. In implementations, as shown in FIGS. 15A-17B, each arm 3115,3115 a-c has a range of motion that extends into an adjacent work volume3105 a-c. In implementations, adjacent work volumes 3105 a-d overlap forat least 0.30 meter (e.g., about 1 ft) for the full vertical height ofthe work volume 3105 a-d, from the floor 3110 to a maximum suspensionheight (e.g., maximum hoist height) within the work volumes 3105 a-c. Inimplementations, each one of the plurality of arms 3115 a-c isconfigured to extend to any point on the floor within an associated workvolume 3105 a-c and throughout the width, length, and height H of thework volume 3105 a-c, which is the volume of space extending between thefloor 3110 and the ceiling 3111 that is accessible by the arm 3115 a-cat full extension, though a maximum pan range of movement and maximumtilt range of movement. In implementations, the pan motor 3125 a-a″comprises a power output in a range of between about 30-1800 W. Inimplementations, the tilt motor 3125 b-b″ comprises a power output in arange of between about 120-3550 W motor. In implementations, the extendmotor 3125 c-c″ comprises a power output in a range of between about60-1690 W motor. The bottom end of the ranges comprise power ratings forpan, tilt, and extend motors controlling an arm 3115 repositioning anarticle 12 having a weight between about 0.1-1.25 kg or an articlehaving a weight in the range of about 3-5 kg traversing a work volumeslowly (2-5 seconds). The top end of the ranges comprise requirementsfor moving an engaged article 12 having a weight of between about 3-5 kgtraversing the work volume quickly (1-2 seconds), wherein traversing thework volume comprises moving through a full range of motion of anyindividual motor 3125 a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″ (e.g., pan, tilt, extend). Theseranges and values are intended to address the ranges and values of theplurality of varied laundry article types typically generated by ahousehold. In any of the above implementations, traversing a work volume3105 a-c is defined as any traversal including at least one of a fullrange of pan, full range of tilt, and full range of extend motions ofthe arm 3115 a-c and associated gripper 3120 a-c.

In addition to pan, tilt, and extend motions, in implementations,additionally or alternatively, the controller 3005 is further configuredto drive the at least one drive of an arm 3115 of the plurality of arms3115 a-c in at least one of alternating side-to-side and alternating upand down motions to shake one or more grasped deformable article 12 ofthe plurality of deformable articles at the hoist height. By shaking theterminal gripper 3120 at the hoist height, the arm 3115, 3115 a-c canfree any articles 12 a-n that may be stuck together, e.g., staticallyattracted, or entangled. This is possible because the terminal grippers3120 are designed to securely grasp an article 12.

As shown in the system schematic of FIG. 5, the device 3000 comprisesthree or more arms 3115 a-c in operable communication with at least oneof their respective processors 3155 a-c and the at least one controller3005. In implementations, each one of the three or more arms 3115 a-ccomprises a pan drive 3160, tilt drive 3162, and extend drive 3164configured to drive motors 3125 a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″ configured to pan,tilt, and extend an arm 3115, 3115 a-c as described with regard toimplementations. In implementations, the pan motors 3125 a-a″, tiltmotors 3125 b-b″, and extend motors 3125 c-c″ comprise controllablemotors (e.g., a brushless DC motor (BLDC)), Each arm 3115, 3115 a-ccomprises a network interface 3166, 3166 a-c configured to communicatedata and sensor signals to at least one of the respective processors3155, 3155 a-c and the at least one controller 3005 of the system 400(via a wireless or wired communication network 230) for processing. Thesensor signals can be output from one or more optical sensors 3140,3145, 3147, one or more encoders 3157 a-c, a′-c′, a″-c″, and one or moreposition sensors 3168, 3168 a-c and routed via a sensor interface 3170,3170 a-c.

Additionally, each arm 3115, 3115 a-c comprises a gripper drive 3172 a-cand a gripper actuator 3174, 3174 a-c in communication with at least oneof the respective processors 3155, 3155 a-c and the at least onecontroller 3005 of the system 400 (via a wireless or wired communicationnetwork 230). Additionally, in implementations, each arm 3115, 3115 a-ccomprises one or more gripper sensors 3176, 3176 a-c (e.g., a Hallsensor for detecting an angular position of a gripper wrist that flexesrelative to the longitudinal arm axis E) and fingertip pressure sensorsdisposed in the fingers of the gripper for detecting contact forces withan article of clothing and/or the workspace floor 3110.

As previously described, each arm 3115 of the plurality of arms 3115 a-cterminates at an associated gripper 3120, 3120 a-c. In implementations,each gripper 3120, including gripper fingers, can be manufactured from alightweight, impact resistant material, such as aluminum or steel. Inimplementations, as shown in FIGS. 39A-41B, each gripper 3120 comprisesat least two actuatable fingers 3707 a-b. In implementations, the atleast two actuatable fingers comprise an overmold 3708 a-b comprising adurometer of between about 40 A to 80 A. For example, the overmold cancomprise at least one of a polymer or copolymer including at least oneof a rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, (TPE), thermoplasticpolyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), and silicone. Theovermold provides protection of the encapsulated fingers and anydelicate fabrics of the deformable laundry article 12. Additionally,having a soft fingertip enables finer grasping or grabbing of deformablelaundry articles 12 off of a surface, such as the floor 3110 of theenclosed channel 3100. In implementations, a gripping surface of eachfinger of a gripper 3120, 3120 a-c comprises a textured surface, e.g.,ribs, bumps, ridges, and/or other protuberance, for assisting withgripping the fabric of an article 12 with some degree of friction and/orperturbation. Additionally or alternatively, an outside surface (e.g.,opposite the gripping surface) of each finger of a gripper 6105 a-dcomprises a smooth surface for preventing the fabric of an article 12from sticking to an outside surface of the gripper 3120, 3120 a-c. Inimplementations, the gripper 3120, 3120 a-c is washable and capable ofwithstanding heavy liquid spray and/or immersion and can have an IPrating of at least one of IP65, IP66, and IP56. In implementations, eachgripper 3120 is about 300 mm long, about 100 mm high, and weighs about500 grams.

In implementations, as shown in FIGS. 42A-B, the gripper 3120, 3120 a-ccomprises a glove 3104 or covering to prevent a deformable article fromgetting caught on at least one of a topography or interface of movablecomponents of the gripper 3120, 3120 a-c during the separating andsorting process. In implementations, the covering 3104 comprises aflexible, dirt repellant fabric. Additionally or alternatively, inimplementations, the covering 3104 comprises a liquid-impermeablematerial configured for enabling washing of the covered gripper. Inimplementations, the covering 3104 can be at least one of polyester,rayon, thermoplastic polyurethane, nitrile, closed-cell foams, rubbers,silicone, and NEOPRENE. The glove, or covering 3104, is flexible and/orstretchable such that the fingers 3707 a-b can move apart and together(FIG. 42B) without any disruptive resistive forces.

The at least two actuatable fingers 3707 a-b can rotate about parallelpivot points 3706 a-b. In implementations, the at least two actuatablefingers 3707 a-b are configured to be actuated by a drive assembly 3709(e.g., FIGS. 41A-B) to rotate simultaneously while gripping a deformablelaundry article 12. The drive assembly 3709 can be in operablecommunication with the controller 3005. In implementations, the driveassembly 3709 can be cable driven or pneumatically driven. The drive3709, as shown in FIGS. 41A-B, can be mounted to the arm 3115 and can be100 mm long and weigh 500 grams. In implementations, the drive assembly3709 comprises a cross section radius 3711 of less than 100 mm from theaxis E of the arm 3115 in any direction.

In implementations, a gripper 3120 can comprise the following designfactors shown in table 2:

TABLE 2 Grip strength 50 N Finger strength-to-force ratio 2.0 Grip force25 N Contact distance 80 mm Grip torque 2 N-m Gripper transmissionfactor 22 mm Cable tension 90 N (20 lbs) Cable 2045 SN [220 lb breakingstrength, 7 × 19 construction, 1.12 mm diameter] Motor pulley radius 14mm Motor torque 1.26 N-m

In implementations, the following definitions apply to the designfactors of table 2. Grip strength is the maximum force that can beapplied to moving the deformable article 12. It can also be thought ofas the force required to pull a deformable laundry article 12 out of agripper 3120. The at least two actuatable fingers 3107 a-b make contactwith the deformable laundry article 12 and directly impart the forcethat moves the deformable laundry article 12 (grip strength). This forceis due to a combination of friction (when the force is generallyparallel to the gripping surface) and normal tension (for instance, whenthe deformable laundry article 12 is wrapped over one of the two or morefingers 3707 a-b). In implementations, such as that depicted in FIGS.40A-B, the gripper 3120 comprises a sweet spot SS which comprises thevolume between the two fingers 3107 a-b in which an article must be(e.g., the contact area CA) when the gripper actuates in order for thegrasp to be successful.

Grip force is the force the two or more fingers 3707 a-b push againsteach other (when empty) or the deformable laundry article 12 (whenengaged). The grip force is determined by the grip torque and thecontact distance (distance between finger pivot 3706 and contact pointwith the deformable laundry article 12). If the deformable laundryarticle 12 is engaged at a single point, the grip force equals the griptorque divided by the contact distance. In embodiments, calculations arebased on the center of the contact area defining the contact point.Strength-to-force ratio is the ratio between grip strength and gripforce. In implementations, grip strength and grip force are directlyproportional so that the ratio is fixed for a given combination offinger 3707, deformable laundry article 12 type and shape. In otherimplementations, grip strength and grip force have a sigmoidalrelationship. For example, this applies to grippers 3120 that create anormal force or otherwise ‘lock’ the deformable laundry article 12 intoplace between the fingers 3707 a-b. Grip torque is the torque on thejoints of the fingers 3707 a-b. This is dependent on the cable tensionand gripper geometry and can be increased by increasing the lever arm inthe gripper 3120, but this increases the gripper size. Cable tension isdependent on the motor torque and lever arm at the motor. This sets theminimum diameter of the cable. Cable tension can be increased bydecreasing the motor lever arm, but in implementations using a pulleywheel, a minimum diameter is required to ensure the cable does notbreak. Motor torque is minimized to reduce cost and weight of the motor.

FIGS. 39A-B show exemplary grippers comprising linkages and pulleys formoving the fingers 3707 a-b by turning translational cable displacementinto angular motion. In one implementation employing a pulley (FIG.39B), two cables 3713 are threaded through the finger joints 3716. Inanother implementation employing linkages (FIG. 39A), a single cable islooped around a pin. The linkage system is configured to amplify torqueas the fingers 3707 a-b close.

In other implementations, the grippers 3120, 3120 a-b can comprisepneumatic actuators. A cable, or pneumatic tube, is snaked through thearm 3115. The gripper mechanism is driven by a linear motion, which istranslated into finger rotation by linkages or pulleys. Inimplementations, the fingers 3107 a-b are joined by linkages to oneanother and an actuatable cylinder. The pneumatic gripper 3120 islightweight, quickly actuated, and built to withstand cycles on order ofmagnitude in the millions or higher. In implementations, at least onepneumatic tube runs through a hollow conduit extending the length of thearm 3115. In implementations, two pneumatic tubes run through the hollowconduit, each one of the pneumatic tubes configured to be in fluidconnection with one of two sides of a pneumatic actuator. Inimplementations, the controller 3005 actuates the gripper 3120 to close(e.g., clamp shut) the fingers 3107 a-b by pressurizing one side of apneumatic actuator. In implementations, the controller 3005 actuates thegripper 3120 to open (e.g., spread apart) the fingers 3107 a-b bypressurizing the other side of the pneumatic actuator. Additionally oralternatively, in implementations, the fingers can be held open by acylinder and return spring assembly, which can be weak enough to allowany tangled deformable laundry article 12 to slip off the fingers.Pneumatic actuators have the advantage of being easy to seal againstingress of dirt and germs. Pneumatics actuators have the advantage ofbeing easy to seal against ingress of dirt and germs. In implementationscomprising a pneumatic cylinder at 100 psi, a gripper 3120 can comprisethe following design factors shown in table 3:

TABLE 3 Grip strength 50 N Finger strength-to-force ratio 2.0 Grip force25 N Contact distance 80 mm Grip torque 2 N-m Gripper transmissionfactor 22 mm Piston force 90 N (20 lbs) Piston bore size (assuming 100psi) 7/16″

Turning to FIGS. 43A through 44 In implementations, the gripper 3120further comprises a wrist 3750 comprising a plurality of sensors 3755a-d, 3765 configured to sense an application of force on the gripper3120 as applied various directions including at least one of up anddown, sided to side, and axially. The plurality of sensors 3755 a-d,3765 are configured to output a signal to the controller 3005. The wrist3750 is disposed between the fingers 3707 a-b and the arm 3115. Inimplementations, the wrist 3750 comprises a plurality of compressionsprings 3760 a-d configured to flex and compress under an application offorce and a rod 3767 configured to trip one or more limit switch sensors3755 a-d, 3760 under an application of a threshold force. For example,as shown in the magnified view M1 of FIG. 44, the rod 3767 can compressand trip one of the one or more limit switch sensors 3755 a-d, 3765under an application of force in a range of between about 4 to 5 poundsof force. Although the sensors are described as limit switches, inimplementations, the plurality of sensors 3755 a-d, 3765 can be one ormore analog sensors configured to detect how much the terminal gripperhas moved. In implementations, the sensor 3765 behind the rod 3767 isconfigured to detect if the gripper 3120 has hit the floor 3110 of theenclosed channel head on, thereby applying an axial force.

In implementations, the controller 3005 receives one or more signalsfrom the plurality of sensors 3755 a-d, 3765 and determines theapplication of a side-to-side force indicative of a deformable articlebeing snagged on a first arm or terminal gripper while the terminalgripper of a subsequent arm of the plurality of arms grasps the article.In implementations, the controller 3005 receives one or more signalsfrom the plurality of sensors 3755 a-d, 3765 and determines theapplication of a threshold amount of axial force applied as the terminalgripper 3120 pushes against the floor 3110 of the channel 3100 to sweepup and grasp an article resting on the floor. For example, and articlesuch as a thin silk scarf, may be smooth and comprises a low profile.The terminal gripper 3120 can comprise flexible fingers 3707 a-b and beconfigured to accommodate being driven into the floor with a thresholdamount of force (e.g., 11 bf, 21 bf, 31 bf, e.g., 4.4N, 8.9N, 13.3N)while enabling the flexible fingers 3707 a-b to be actuated in agrasping motion. In implementations, the controller 3005 receives one ormore signals from the plurality of sensors 3755 a-d, 3765 and determinesthe application of a threshold amount of axial force applied as theterminal gripper 3120 pushes against a pile of deformable articles toensure the terminal gripper 3120 is positioned with the pile ofdeformable articles for successfully grasping at least one article.

Additionally or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, one or more sensorscan include sensors 3176, 3176 a-c disposed on or in one or moreportions of the grippers 3120, 3120 a-c. In implementations, the one ormore sensors 3176, 3176 a-c can include a finger torque and positionsensor disposed on the gripper 3120 to sense when the fingers 3707 a-bhave closed. This allows the robot 300 to operate quickly because theclosed sensor can signal moving onto the next step. Additionally oralternatively, a force/torque sensor can be disposed on a wrist of agripper 3120 to determine if the gripper has collided with anything, ispulling too hard on a deformable laundry article 12, or is tangled inthe deformable laundry article 12. This sensor assists with pinching thefingers 3707 a-b to grasp clothes off of a surface (e.g., the conveyor)by determining when contact is made with the surface. Additionally, aforce/torque sensor can output a signal to the processor 3155 forestimating a weight of a deformable laundry article 12. Additionally oralternatively, one or more force/torque sensors can be disposed at atilt axis driven by the arm tilt motor 3125 b-b″. In implementations, atorque sensor can be disposed on or in a motor for the gripper 3120.Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, strain gauges can bedisposed in the bases of the fingers 3707 a-b (not fingertips).Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, a tension sensor canbe disposed in-line with a cable for rotating and closing the fingers3707 a-b. In all implementations, a torque sensor could provide anoutput signal for determining whether or not the fingers 3707 a-b ofeach gripper 3120 are engaged with a deformable laundry article 12. Inother implementations, engagement can be detected by force/pressuresensors (not shown) disposed on the fingertips of the two or morefingers 3707 a-b. The force/pressure sensor(s) can be one of the grippersensor(s) 3176, 3176 a-c configured to communicate a sensor signal tothe controller 3005, as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 45, any of the examples and implementationsdescribed previously with regard to an autonomous separating and sortingdevice 3000 are applicable to implementations described herein withregard to a method 3900 of robotically separating and sorting adeformable article 12 (e.g., also referred to herein as a “deformablelaundry article”) from an amassed plurality of deformable articles 12a-n. Any of the methods described hereinafter applicable in combinationwith any and all of the processes, devices, and systems describedpreviously with regard to implementations.

In implementations, a method 3900 of autonomously (e.g., robotically)sorting a plurality of deformable laundry articles 12 a-n into loads forwashing, comprises receiving 53905, at a controller, a signal from atleast one sensor disposed at least one of on, adjacent to, and within atleast one of a plurality of sequential work volumes within an enclosedchannel, the signal being indicative of at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles being disposed within at least one of theplurality of sequential work volumes. In implementations, the at leastone sensor is disposed in a first bay or work volume of a continuous,enclosed channel comprising a plurality of sequential work volumes. Themethod comprises determining 53910, based on the received signal, alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles ona stationary floor of the associated one of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes.

At the start of the separating and sorting process, all of the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles are disposed in a first workvolume of the enclosed channel. As described previously with regard toimplementations, the plurality of sequential work volumes 3105 a-d areconstituent to an enclosed channel 3100 and the stationary floor 3110 ofthe enclosed channel 3100 extends between an inlet end I and an outletend O of the enclosed channel. A portion of the stationary floor 3110adjacent the inlet end I is configured to receive thereon the pluralityof deformable laundry articles 12 a-n when introduced into the channel3100. If the controller 3005 determines, based on the received signal,that a laundry article is not detected, in implementations, the methodcomprises receiving S3912 a second signal from another of the at leastone sensor. For example, in implementations, the first signal can be atleast one of a 2D and 3D image and the second signal can be another atleast one of a 2D and 3D image. In implementations, the first and/orsecond signal can be, for example as shown in FIG. 46, a 2D mask 3800derived from an image of the floor 3110 of enclosed channel. The 2D maskcomprises an outline of the peripheral edge of an article 12 disposed onthe floor 3110. In implementations the first signal can include an IRgreyscale image or RGB image of the floor 3110 and the second signal caninclude an IR greyscale image or RGB image of the article disposed onthe floor. The controller can take an absolute difference in luminancevalue of the background image of the floor and the luminance value ofthe article to find an edge between the article and floor therebycreating a mask, or outline, of the article. Additionally oralternatively, in implementations, the controller 3005 receives theinput signal of one or more sensors (e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c,3145 a-c, 3147 a-c), takes an absolute difference between the bits ofbackground and running images, uses a threshold to make that differenceimage black and white, and then applies at least one of eroding andblurring to generate the final mask. This reduces potential errorscaused by lighting differences.

The method comprises determining 53913 wherein at least one article 12is detected in each of the work volumes. If no article is detected, themethod concludes by sending a collection bin containing one or moreseparated and sorted deformable laundry articles 12 to one or morewashing and drying robots 4000. If an article is detected in a workvolume, the method comprises identifying S3915 a grip point on thearticle and instructing S3920 at least one drive of at least one of aplurality of arms 3115 a-c disposed in series along the enclosed channel3100 to at least one of rotate, tilt, extend, and retract a terminalgripper 3120 configured to selectively grasp at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles at the determined grip point.As described herein with regard to implementations, each one of theplurality of arms is associated with one of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes. The controller instructs an actuator of the terminalgripper to close on the at least one of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles. The method comprises instructing the at least onedrive to raise S3925 the closed terminal gripper and the grasped atleast one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles to a hoistheight above the stationary floor 3110, and move S3940 the gripper 3120(e.g., at least one of pan, tilt, and extend, e.g., rotate) toward theoutlet end O into an adjacent work volume 3105 b-d. In implementations,the method comprises determining 53930 whether the gripper missedgrasping the grip point and repeats the instructions of identifyingS3915 a grip point, instructing the arm to pan, tilt, extend and/orretract the gripper to the grip point, instruct the gripper to grasp thegrip point, and instruct the arm S3925 to raise the gripper and graspedarticle to a hoist height.

As described previously with regard to implementations, the method cancomprise the controller 3005 executing a subroutine for a miss recoveryif the controller 3005 determines the gripper has not grasped thearticle 12. In implementations, the miss recovery routine comprisesmoving the target grip point 15 inward from an detected edge of the oneor more articles 12 a-n by a distance in a range of between about 5-10mm with each subsequent attempt after a missed grab (e.g., grasp by thegripper). Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, thecontroller 3005 can determine a center of mass of the mask of the atleast one article 12 on the floor 3110 of the work volume and move thetargeted grip point 15 from the outer most edge of the at least onearticle 12 toward the center of mass with each subsequent attempt aftera missed grab.

In implementations, method comprises the controller 3005 selecting thealternate grip point locations randomly, or by iterating attemptedgrasps at alternate grip point locations in a deterministic manner. Thisensures that the gripper 3120 will find a graspable portion of thearticle 12, accounting for any spacing between extensions and the coreof a garment, such as between sleeves and the torso portions of a shirt,which may place a center of mass in an open location not occupied by thearticle 12. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations, thecontroller 3005 is configured to create a bounding box 3805 around themask 3800 of the article 12 as shown in FIG. 46, the bounding boxcomprising a length LB and a width WB that places the mask 3800 insidethe bounding box 3805. The controller 3005 is configured to choose arandom point as the target grip point 15 based on the length LB andwidth WB of the bounding box, determine whether the grip point 15 iswithin the mask (e.g., grip point 15 b) and not just within in thebounding box (e.g., 15 a), and instruct a gripper 3120 to grasp the grippoint 15 b within the mask area corresponding to the location of thearticle 12. If the grip point was not within the mask 3800, thecontroller 3005 randomly selects a new target grip point with thebounding box 3805 and iteratively continues randomly selecting targetgrip points until a target point is within both the bounding box 3805and the mask 3800. The randomness of determining a grip point 15 withinthe bounding box 3805 accounts for the difference in size between an endeffector in software path planning (e.g., a single point) and the volumeof the gripper 3120, which is a 3D element and not a single point, andresults in successful grabs of the article 12 regardless of articlesize. This enables a gripper 3120 to grab very small items such as babysocks, for example. By comparison, targeting a center of mass couldresult in the joint at the base of the fingers of the gripper 3120touching the floor 3110 of the channel 3100 and not reaching thearticle, even though the center of the gripper 3120 was directly abovethe given target point, such as an edge point of the small article or apoint moved inward from an edge point toward a center of mass.

Additionally or alternatively, prior to instructing the at least onedrive to move or rotate S3940 the arm toward the outlet end into anadjacent work volume, the method comprises determining 3935 whether thearm holding the article at the hoist height is adjacent a collection binat an outlet end of the enclosed channel. If the arm is not adjacent thecollection bin, the method comprises instructing S3945 the actuator ofthe terminal gripper to open the gripper to release the at least one ofthe plurality of deformable laundry articles in the adjacent work volume(e.g., the receiving work volume). The method comprises receiving S3950a signal from at least one sensor in the receiving work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes, and determining S3955, based onthe received signal, a state comprising at least one of one or more ofthe plurality of deformable laundry articles are present on thestationary floor, and one or more of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles are not present on the stationary floor.

If the controller determines, based on the received signal, that thelaundry article is not detected, in implementations, the methodcomprises receiving S3960 a second signal from another of the at leastone sensor. For example, in implementations, the first signal can be atleast one of a 2D and 3D image and the second signal can be another atleast one of a 2D and 3D image. In implementations, the second signalcan be, for example as shown in FIG. 46, a 2D mask 3800 derived from animage of the floor 3110 of enclosed channel. The 2D mask comprises anoutline of the peripheral edge of an article disposed on the floor 3110.In implementations the first signal can include an IR greyscale image orRGB image of the floor 3110 and the second signal can include an IRgreyscale image or RGB image of the article disposed on the floor. Thecontroller can take an absolute difference in luminance value of thebackground image of the floor and the luminance value of the article tofind an edge between the article and floor thereby creating a mask, oroutline, of the article. Additionally or alternatively, inimplementations, the controller 3005 receives the input signal of one ormore sensors (e.g., one or more sensors 3140 a-c, 3145 a-c, 3147 a-c),takes an absolute difference between the bits of background and runningimages, uses a threshold to make that difference image black and white,and then applies at least one of eroding and blurring to generate thefinal mask. This reduces potential errors caused by lightingdifferences.

The method comprises determining S3962 whether the second signalindicates an article being detected in the receiving work volume. If anyarticle is not detected, the method returns to determining S39390whether the previous gripper missed the grab or potentially dropped thearticle prior to entering the receiving (adjacent) work volume. If thearticle is on the floor of the prior work volume, the method returns toidentifying S3915 a grip point, instructing S3920 the gripper to travelto the grip point, and instructing S3925 the previous arm to hoistingthe article.

If the article is determined S2962 to be in the receiving work volume,either detected from the signal of a first of the at least one sensor ora second signal of the at least one sensor, the method comprisesidentifying S3965 a grip point of the laundry article and instructingS3970 a gripper of the arm associated with the receiving work volume(e.g., the “adjacent work volume”) to travel to and grasp the grippoint. The method comprising instructing S3975 the arm to raise thearticle engaged in the gripper to a suspension height and confirm S3980whether the laundry article is raised. If the article is not detected inthe gripper at the hoist height, the method comprises repeating thesteps of identifying S3965 a grip point of the laundry article,instructing S3970 a gripper of the arm associated with the receivingwork volume to travel to and grasp the grip point, and instructing S3975the arm to raise the article engaged in the gripper.

The method comprises determining 3980 whether the gripper missedgrabbing the grip point. If the gripper missed, the method comprisesexecuting a miss recovery subroutine as previously described. If thegripper did not miss, the method comprises determining 3935 whether thearm holding the article at the hoist height is adjacent a collection binat an outlet end of the enclosed channel. If the arm is not adjacent thecollection bin, the method iteratively repeats S3940-S3980 until the armholding the article is the arm closes to the outlet orifice andcollection bin. The method comprises determining S3985 at least onecharacteristic of the laundry article 12 and instructing S3990 alignmentof a collection bin (e.g., sorting bin) associated with the at least onecharacteristic within reach of the arm and engage gripper. As describedpreviously with regard to implementations, the collection bin can be oneof a plurality of bins disposed on a carousel or load constructor inoperable communication with the controller for shuffling bins beneaththe channel for receiving separated articles into one or more binscontaining articles of matching one or more washing and dryingcharacteristics. The method comprises instructing S3992 the arm torotate and the gripper to release the article into the collection binassociated with the at least one characteristic. The robot 3000 thusintelligently batches one or more articles into loads for washing anddrying with appropriate collective washing and drying cycle parameters(e.g., water temperature, air temperature, cycle durations, agitationspeed, etc.).

In implementations, the method comprises receiving a signal indicativeof at least one of a weight and an occupied volume of the collection binreceiving the laundry article. The method comprises determining whetherthe at least one of weight and volume are above a threshold value. If atleast one of the weight and volume exceeds a threshold, the methodcomprises sending S3998 the collection bin to a washing and drying robot4000 for laundering.

In implementations, the method comprises stopping iterating the grasps,rotations, and releases when each one of the plurality of deformablelaundry articles exits the enclosed channel through the outlet orificeas a solitary deformable article. In implementations, the methodcomprises instructing two or more of the plurality of arms to operatesimultaneously within each associated one of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes. In implementations, the method comprises instructingterminal grippers of two or more of the plurality of arms operatingsimultaneously to simultaneously grasp at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles. In implementations, the method comprisesinstructing the at least one drive of the arm with an engaged terminalgripper to move the terminal gripper in at least one of alternatingside-to-side and alternating up and down motions to shake a graspeddeformable article at the hoist height. In implementations, the methodcomprises receiving a contact sensor signal from at least one contactsensor on a gripping surface of the terminal gripper indicative of noneof the plurality of deformable laundry articles being grasped in theterminal gripper at the hoist height. In implementations, the ratherthan an engaged gripper releasing each article 12 on the floor 3110 ofan adjacent work volume 3105 following a hoist, the gripper 3120 of anavailable arm 3115 in a receiving work volume 3105 can grip an edge ofthe article 12 (e.g., a lowest hanging point), hoist the gripped edge tothe hoist height and the longest engaged gripper can release the article12.

As depicted in FIG. 47, the separating and sorting device 3000 is astate machine that operates based on a current state of the enclosedchannel. Between runs of processing loads of one or more deformablearticles, the enclosed channel 3100 and the plurality of arms 3115 a-ctherein are in a dormant state 3855, the channel 3100 being devoid ofany articles. Once a load of dirty one or more articles 12 a-n enter thechannel 3100, the arms 3115 a-c are in a stowed position 3860 at rest.The device 3000 captures images 3865, evaluates 3870 the environment ofthe channel 3100 and based on a state of the one or more articles 12 a-nwithin the channel 3100, moves the arms 3875 to action as describedpreviously with regard to implementations. The device 3000 iterativelycycles through the states of capturing images 3865, evaluating 3870 theenvironment, and moving the arms 3115 a-c until all of the one or morearticles 12 a-n are sorted out of the channel 3100. The arms 3115 a-cthen resume their stowed state 3860 and the device 3000 again is in adormant state 3855 awaiting at least one of cleaning and receiving anext load of one or more deformable articles 12 a′-n′.

All of the methods and tasks described herein may be performed and fullyautomated by a computer system. The computer system may, in some cases,include multiple distinct computers or computing devices (e.g., physicalservers, workstations, storage arrays, etc.) that communicate andinteroperate over a network to perform the described functions. Eachsuch computing device typically includes a processor (or multipleprocessors or circuitry or collection of circuits, e.g. a module) thatexecutes program instructions or modules stored in a memory or othernon-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The various functionsdisclosed herein may be embodied in such program instructions, althoughsome or all of the disclosed functions may alternatively be implementedin application-specific circuitry (e.g., ASICs or FPGAs) of the computersystem. Where the computer system includes multiple computing devices,these devices may, but need not, be co-located. The results of thedisclosed methods and tasks may be persistently stored by transformingphysical storage devices, such as solid state memory chips and/ormagnetic disks, into a different state.

Although the subject matter contained herein has been described indetail for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that suchdetail is solely for that purpose and that the present disclosure is notlimited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intendedto cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to beunderstood that the present disclosure contemplates that, to the extentpossible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined withone or more features of any other embodiment.

Other examples are within the scope and spirit of the description andclaims. Additionally, certain functions described above can beimplemented using software, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, orcombinations of any of these. Features implementing functions can alsobe physically located at various positions, including being distributedsuch that portions of functions are implemented at different physicallocations.

1-181. (canceled)
 182. An autonomous sorting device for sorting aplurality of deformable articles, comprising: an enclosed channelcomprising a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floorextending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the channel, aportion of the stationary floor within a first work volume of theplurality of sequential work volumes being configured to receive thereonthe plurality of deformable articles adjacent the inlet end; a pluralityof arms disposed in series along the enclosed channel, each one of theplurality of arms comprising an actuatable terminal gripper configuredto selectively grasp at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles and at least one drive configured to at least one of rotate,tilt, extend, and retract the terminal gripper, each of the plurality ofarms being associated with one of the plurality of sequential workvolumes; an inlet orifice disposed in at least one of a ceiling and awall of the enclosed channel, the plurality of deformable articles beingreceived into the enclosed channel through the inlet orifice; an outletorifice disposed adjacent the outlet end in at least one of a wall ofthe enclosed channel and the stationary floor, each one of the pluralityof deformable articles exiting the enclosed channel through the outletorifice; at least one sensor disposed at least one of on, adjacent to,and within one or more of the plurality of sequential work volumes, theat least one sensor configured to detect at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles disposed within at least one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes, and output a signal indicative of at least oneof a presence and a location of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles relative to the terminal gripper of one of theplurality of arms associated with the at least one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes within which that at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles is detected; and a controller in operablecommunication with the at least one drive and the at least one sensor,the controller configured to receive a signal from the at least onesensor indicative of detecting at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles being disposed within at least one of the pluralityof sequential work volumes, determine a location of the at least one ofthe plurality of deformable articles on the stationary floor, instructthe at least one drive to position a terminal gripper to grasp the atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles, the terminal gripperbeing disposed on one of the plurality of arms associated with the atleast one of the plurality of sequential work volumes within which theat least one of the plurality of deformable articles is detected,instruct the terminal gripper to close on the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles, instruct the at least one drive toraise the closed terminal gripper of the associated arm and the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles to a hoist height above thestationary floor, and rotate toward the outlet end into an adjacent workvolume, instruct the terminal gripper to open, releasing the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles in the adjacent work volume,receive a signal from the at least one sensor configured to detect thereleased at least one of the plurality of deformable articles within theadjacent work volumes, and determine, based on the received signal, astate comprising at least one of one or more of the plurality ofdeformable articles are present on the stationary floor, none of theplurality of deformable articles are present on the stationary floor,and one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles exited theenclosed channel through the outlet orifice.
 183. The device of claim182, wherein the plurality of sequential work volumes comprises three ormore work volumes, and wherein the plurality of arms comprises three ormore arms, each of the three or more arms being associated with one ofthe three or more work volumes.
 184. The device of claim 183, wherein anoutlet-facing end of each of the three or more work volumes overlapswith an inlet-facing end of an adjacent sequential one of the three ormore work volumes such that each arm of the plurality of arms isconfigured to extend into one or more adjacent work volumes of theplurality of sequential work volumes.
 185. The device of claim 183,wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determiningone or more of the plurality of deformable articles are present on thestationary floor in the adjacent work volume, iteratively determine alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles onthe stationary floor relative to an arm associated with the adjacentwork volume, instruct the at least one drive of the arm associated withthe adjacent work volume to position the terminal gripper of the armassociated with the adjacent work volume at the determined location tograsp the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles, instructthe terminal gripper of the arm associated with the adjacent work volumeto close on the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles,instruct the at least one drive to raise the closed terminal gripper ofthe arm associated with the adjacent work volume and the grasped atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles to a hoist heightabove the stationary floor, and rotate toward the outlet end into a nextsequential adjacent work volume of the three or more work volumes,instruct the terminal gripper to open the gripper to release the atleast one of the plurality of deformable articles in the next sequentialadjacent work volume, receive a signal from at least one sensorconfigured to detect the at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles, and determine, based on the received signal, a statecomprising at least one of one or more of the plurality of deformablearticles are present on the stationary floor, none of the plurality ofdeformable articles are present on the stationary floor, and one of theplurality of deformable articles exited the enclosed channel through theoutlet orifice.
 186. The device of claim 182, wherein the controller isfurther configured to instruct two or more of the plurality of arms tooperate simultaneously within each associated one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes, wherein terminal grippers of the two or more ofthe plurality of arms operating simultaneously are configured to eachsimultaneously grasp at least one of the plurality of deformablearticles.
 187. The device of claim 182, wherein the enclosed channel isfully enclosed on all sides and at the inlet and outlet ends, andwherein the inlet orifice and outlet orifice each further comprise anactuated covering for selectively exposing and sealing each of theorifices, the controller being in operative communication with theactuation of each covering.
 188. The device of claim 182, wherein one ormore bins are configured to be disposed beneath the exit orifice, eachof the one or more bins being configured to receive one or more of theplurality of deformable articles having one or more characteristicsassociated with at least one of the one or more bins.
 189. The device ofclaim 188, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least oneof a common color, size, material composition, article type, degree ofdirtiness, and fabric heat tolerance of the one or more deformablearticles received therein.
 190. The device of claim 189, furthercomprising an actuated carousel in operable communication with thecontroller, the actuated carousel being configured to receive thereonthe one or more bins and rotate the one or more bins beneath theenclosed channel to match a characteristic of one of the one or morebins positioned beneath the outlet orifice with the one or morecharacteristics of each one of the plurality of deformable articlesexiting the enclosed channel.
 191. The device of claim 190, furthercomprising a memory in communication with the controller, the memoryconfigured to store at least one relation comprising one of the one ormore characteristics associated with the bin, a bin identificationmarker for each of the one or more bins, and a customer identity sharedby the plurality of deformable articles received into the enclosedchannel.
 192. The device of claim 190, wherein the at least one sensoris configured to detect the one or more characteristics of each one ofthe plurality of deformable articles and output a signal to thecontroller comprising the detected one or more characteristics.
 193. Thedevice of claim 192, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at leastone of a 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonarproximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, a pairof stereo depth cameras, a colorimeter and a spectrometer.
 194. Thedevice of claim 193, wherein the controller is further configured todetermine, based on a comparison of a received output signal of the atleast one sensor to data stored in a memory in communication with thecontroller, at least one of an article type, an article color, anarticle size, a degree of dirtiness, and an article fabric.
 195. Thedevice of claim 194, wherein the memory further comprises a neuralnetwork, and wherein determining the one or more characteristics of eachone of the plurality of deformable articles comprises processing thereceived output signal of the at least one sensor with a neural networkclassifier.
 196. The device of claim 182, further comprising aretractable cleaner configured to advance through the enclosed channelfrom the inlet end to the outlet end while cleaning one or more interiorsurfaces, the retractable cleaner comprising an actuatable cleaningdrive in operable communication with the controller, wherein, upondetermining that none of the plurality of articles remain on thestationary floor in any of the sequential work volumes, the controlleris configured to instruct the retractable cleaner to advance from theinlet end to the outlet end of the enclosed channel.
 197. The device ofclaim 196, further comprising a plurality of spray ports disposed alonga continuous outer surface of the retractable cleaner facing the one ormore interior surfaces of the enclosed channel, and wherein a cleaningfluid comprises at least one of steam, water, detergent, germicide, andpesticide.
 198. The device of claim 182, wherein the plurality ofdeformable articles comprises one or more loads of dirty householdlaundry, and wherein the plurality of deformable articles comprises twoor more article types of at least one of different sizes, differentshapes, different colors, and different fabrics.
 199. The device ofclaim 182, wherein the plurality of arms each further comprise a rodconfigured to extend from an anchor at corresponding individuallyanchored positions, the rod comprising a fully extended length ofbetween about 0.25 m and 4 m, wherein the anchor comprises the at leastone drive, and wherein the at least one drive comprises a pan drive, atilt drive, and an extend drive.
 200. The device of claim 199, whereinthe controller is further configured to drive the at least one drive inat least one of alternating side-to-side and alternating up and downmotions to shake a grasped deformable article of the plurality ofdeformable articles at the hoist height.
 201. The device of claim 200,wherein the terminal gripper of each of the plurality of arms comprisesat least two actuatable fingers and wherein the terminal gripper of eachof the plurality of arms is at least one of cable driven andpneumatically driven.
 202. The device of claim 200, wherein each anchoris disposed on a base outside the enclosed channel and the associatedone of the plurality of arms disposed on the base extends through one ofa plurality of openings in a sidewall of the enclosed channel, each ofthe plurality of openings configured to receive a rod of each one of theplurality of arms therethrough, and a seal disposed about each of theplurality of openings through which the rod of each one of the pluralityof arms extends, the seal comprising a flexible material configured tostretch as the rod extends, pans, tilts, and retracts.
 203. The deviceof claim 182, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one ofa 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR, a sonarproximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor, and apair of stereo depth cameras.
 204. The device of claim 203, whereindetermining a location of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles on the stationary floor further comprisesdetermining one or more grip points on the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles, wherein the one or more grip points are at leastone of disposed on a high point of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles, disposed on an edge of the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles, and disposed within an area of a maskof the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles.
 205. Amethod of robotically sorting a plurality of deformable laundry articlesinto loads for washing, comprising: receiving, at a controller, a signalfrom at least one sensor disposed at least one of on, adjacent to, andwithin one or more of a plurality of sequential work volumes, the signalbeing indicative of at least one of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles being disposed within at least one of the plurality ofsequential work volumes; determining, based on the received signal, alocation of the at least one of the plurality of deformable articles ona stationary floor within at least one of the plurality of sequentialwork volumes, the plurality of sequential work volumes being constituentto an enclosed channel and the stationary floor extending between aninlet end and an outlet end of the enclosed channel, a portion of thestationary floor adjacent the inlet end being configured to receivethereon the plurality of deformable laundry articles; instructing atleast one drive of at least one of a plurality of arms disposed inseries along the enclosed channel to at least one of rotate, tilt,extend, and retract a terminal gripper configured to selectively graspat least one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles at thedetermined location, each one of the plurality of arms being associatedwith one of the plurality of sequential work volumes; instructing, bythe controller, an actuator of the terminal gripper to close on the atleast one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles; instructingthe at least one drive to raise the closed terminal gripper and thegrasped at least one of the plurality of deformable laundry articles toa hoist height above the stationary floor, and rotate toward the outletend into an adjacent work volume; instructing the actuator of theterminal gripper to open the gripper to release the at least one of theplurality of deformable laundry articles in the adjacent work volume;receiving a signal from at least one sensor in the adjacent work volumeof the plurality of sequential work volumes; and determining, based onthe received signal, a state comprising at least one of one or more ofthe plurality of deformable laundry articles are present on thestationary floor, one or more of the plurality of deformable laundryarticles are not present on the stationary floor, and one the pluralityof deformable laundry articles exited the enclosed channel through anoutlet orifice disposed in the stationary floor adjacent the outlet end.206. The method of claim 205, wherein the at least one sensor comprisesat least one of a 3-D camera, an IR sensor, a 2-D camera, LIDAR, LADAR,a sonar proximity sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, a radar sensor,and a pair of stereo depth cameras.
 207. The method of claim 206,wherein determining a location of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable articles on the stationary floor further comprisesdetermining one or more grip points on the at least one of the pluralityof deformable articles, and wherein the one or more grip points are atleast one of disposed on a high point of the at least one of theplurality of deformable articles, disposed on an edge of the at leastone of the plurality of deformable articles, and disposed within a maskof the at least one article.
 208. The method of claim 205, whereindetermining a location of the at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles on the stationary floor relative to theassociated arm comprises the controller executing a series ofinstructions to perform a background subtraction routine on an inputsignal comprising a 2D image to locate at least one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles disposed on the stationary floor.
 209. Themethod of claim 208, wherein the background subtraction routinecomprises outputting a location of a perimeter of the at least one ofthe plurality of deformable laundry articles on the stationary floorrelative to the at least one sensor and a current position of theterminal gripper.
 210. The method of claim 205, wherein one or more binsare configured to be disposed beneath the stationary floor, each of theone or more bins being configured to receive one or more of theplurality of deformable laundry articles having one or morecharacteristics associated with at least one of the one or more bins,wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of color,size, article type, degree of dirtiness and fabric heat tolerance. 211.The method of claim 210, further comprising actuating a carousel inoperable communication with the controller, the carousel beingconfigured to receive thereon the one or more bins.
 212. The method ofclaim 211, wherein actuating the carousel comprises repositioning theone or more bins beneath the enclosed channel to match a characteristicof one of the one or more bins positioned beneath the outlet orificewith the one or more characteristics of each one of the plurality ofdeformable laundry articles exiting the enclosed channel.
 213. Themethod of claim 212, further comprising storing on a memory incommunication with the controller, at least one relation comprising oneof the one or more characteristics associated with the bin, a binidentification marker for each of the one or more bins, and a customeridentity shared by the plurality of deformable laundry articles receivedinto the enclosed channel.